Lord or Teacher

Happy Friday, Friends!

I hope and trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious new day begins to dawn in my Sweet Home Alabama!

 

This week’s Happy Friday is simply a rhetorical question. Our Pastor asked the question during his sermon last week, and I found it challenging and thought-provoking.

 

“Is Jesus the Lord of your life or just a really good teacher?”

 

A couple of things I will offer all of us as we think about, and ultimately answer this question, for ourselves.

 

Teacher (source: usdictionary.com)

1. Teacher (noun): A person who instructs or educates others, especially in a school or formal educational setting.

2. Teacher (noun): A guide or mentor who imparts knowledge, skills, or values in informal settings or through example.

3. Teacher (noun): An individual whose occupation involves delivering lessons, facilitating learning, and evaluating students' progress.

 

The term "teacher" embodies roles of mentorship, guidance, and knowledge-sharing, spanning formal education and informal instruction. It is a versatile term that captures both the professional responsibilities and the personal influence a teacher has on learners.

 

Lord (source: merriam-webster.com)

: one having power and authority over others:

: a ruler by hereditary right or preeminence to whom service and obedience are due

 

Lord or teacher?

 

I also want to share a few excerpts from the exception book, What God Does When Men Lead, by Bill Peel. The excerpts come from Chapter 2, Everyday Leaders, and in the sections titled The Nature of Steward Leadership and 1. The principle of ownership.

The Nature of Steward Leadership

“By definition a steward is accountable to his master for how resources are invested. So how does this apply to us today? Since God owns all things, He is the Master; He distributes gifts and resources at His discretion. We are stewards, accountable to Him for all that we do with all that we are given.”

 

1. The principle of ownership.

“A leader has privilege, responsibility, and authority because he has been given these by his master. A steward doesn’t own; he holds in trust and uses what he has been given for the one who owns it. Arrogance and pride don’t have any wiggle room in this equation.”

 

“An organization – be it a family, company, or church – is not created for the leader, nor is it created by the leader. Everything we have comes from God. The Bible is clear, He owns it all: “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (Psalm 24:1).”

 

“Nothing, not even our very lives, belongs to us in an ultimate sense. As much as we might like to define ourselves by the size of our home, the speed of our car, or our title at work, everything we are and have is God’s. As men whom God has called to be leaders, we must be constantly aware that our time, skills, and energy, and every resource, person, and opportunity comes from God. These are not ours to use as we wish, no matter how hard we may have worked and no matter what we have contributed. We are stewards, not owners.”

 

One final time: “Is Jesus the Lord of your life or just a really good teacher?” We all answer this question every day, not through our intentions or the words we speak, but through the lives that we live.

 

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.

 

Have a great day, a wonderful weekend, please cherish your precious family, be kind, and please stay well!

 

Kev