READ: Luke 14:25-33
If any man...hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sis- ters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
Luke 14:26
Under the leadership of Jesus, many people gave up their lives for a great cause. Many people lost their lives because they believed in Him. I know of many missionaries who died as they served the Lord on mission fields.
A leader is someone who can convince people to make sacrifices towards a great cause. I once asked a young medical doctor to live in a remote town of Ghana and to begin a church there. This medical doctor had the option of going to the USA to become a rich consultant. He made a great sacrifice and went to that town because I had asked him to. I believe that one day, when we get to Heaven, he will be very glad that he made that sacrifice!
Let me give you a key to becoming the type of leader that people would make sacrifices for. You must be someone who has made great sacrifices yourself. When people assess you, they are convinced when they realize that you practise what you preach.
The story is told of how a class of the Basel Mission were asked, “Who will volunteer to go to the Gold Coast?” No one responded. Another question was asked, “Who is prepared to be sent to the Gold Coast?” Several people responded to that. These missionaries were prepared to die if someone would send them. You see, people are prepared to make sacrifices if they are led into it. You need a strong leader to send people to a place that has swallowed up the lives of others. Thank God for strong leadership.
Dag Heward Mills
