Inspiring Courage Through Personal Example
by on Oct 27th, 2009 at 1:21 am
Your personal example serves as the currency for your leadership influence. If you practice what you preach, you will gain credibility from those around you. Your words will then carry more weight, and the recipients of your words will be more likely to take them to heart. If you are a hypocrite, you will lose credibility and your words will ring hollow in the ears of those you are trying to encourage.
This principle is a key reason as to why motivational posters, written by unknown authors in a cubicle, motivate men far less than the words of a seasoned veteran. We might take a little courage from nice words written or spoken by strangers, but when they come from a person we profoundly respect, we graft them into our souls for the rest of our lives.
There is no one on this earth who can claim to be a perfect example at all times. I’m not suggesting that we project ourselves as perfect examples to the men around us. In fact, as a leader, I have actually learned that more respect can often be gained in how I demonstrate a response to utter failure than in maintaining consistency. What I am saying is that we would better learn how to instill courage in one another if we backed any of our words or gestures with an active example of faithfulness to Christ. After all, the author of the command to encourage one another followed this command with a lengthy description of men and women of God whose examples serve as inspiration for us today (see Hebrews 11).
As I try to instill courage in the men around me, I should take care of the example that my actions are setting in their midst. Are they left to rely on my words alone or does my life serve as an example of the power that God can work through someone who puts His words into proper action?
Three days ago, I was watching a documentary on the battle of Iwo Jima. Unfortunately, I do not have the film with me any more so I cannot remember the officer’s name, but a Marine lieutenant told the story of how his unit was ordered to advance on a set of Japanese pillboxes and trenches without tank support. They would have to cross at least 200 yards of open ground, a suicidal distance in those conditions.
When the attack needed to be launched, the lieutenant explained that he simply rose from his foxhole and charged the pillboxes. He specifically said that he did not order any other person to follow him. He just went about doing his job. The men, knowing that they had a nearly impossible assignment (in which failure meant an agonizing death), took courage in the actions of their officer and refused to let him die alone. They charged after him, and though many did die, the objectives were taken.
The church is not in need of supermen, celebrities, positive media coverage, or supportive politicians. We can be thankful for the occasional Christian leader who leaves an indelible mark on the history of society, but what we really need is a host of regular, ordinary men of God who will provide the rest of the church and the world a vision of faithfulness to Christ in the daily circumstances of life.
If you would be that kind of a man, your words would carry great weight. You could wield all of the weight of your credibility at speaking truth and courage into other men’s lives. If they doubt your message, they have your life to observe as proof of the worthiness of what you have to say (see 1 Corinthians 4:1-17; 1 Timothy 4:12; or Hebrews 13:7. You don’t have to be an intellectual genius, a wealthy businessman, a famous person, or a published author to be this kind of influence. Just be faithful and open to opportunities to build up the men around you.