Christ-centered leaders struggle sometimes in life and work. We need to be encouraged and lifted up, reminded from time to time that the difficulties we deal with are not forever. We look for answers for the challenges we face, and we look for a helping hand when we crash. In the Christian’s long-term view, we know that we have a home with Christ in eternity. We can acknowledge that the toughest moments right now are being used by God for His glory on earth. But if we possess the wrong view of Christ, then we risk treating Him as Someone far less than He really is.
If we align too deeply with our role at work, we can begin to see Jesus as our “leadership cheerleader”, Someone that we approach to be energized and positive about where we are headed, or to get help with our plans and goals, or to help us bandage our wounds when we fail or are defeated. Or we might see Jesus as any number of other “helps” for our own purposes and plans. These incorrect views don’t affect Christ, but it may very well affect how we relate to Him and whether we know Him and obey Him fully.
Jesus is not our cheerleader. He is not Someone who sits on the sideline of our life, ready to come in to give His take on our challenges. He’s not there to tell us how great we are, and that if we try hard enough, and just believe in ourselves, we can win! The New Testament gives many affirmations for the Christian, encouragement to live for Christ through difficult circumstances. It may be tempting to go to Christ for a “high five”, but we risk missing that Jesus Himself may be orchestrating challenges in order for us to grow closer to Him in life and leadership. The reality of life is not a contest that centers on our talents and efforts. Jesus is not a cheerleader because life is not a game.
Jesus is not our cheat sheet. He is not Someone Who we can call on to give the answers to tests of life and work. Christian leaders may be tempted to treat the Bible as a book of answers we can use for specific situations. Though the Bible does contain answers, it also contains many challenges for the Christians. The purpose of the Scriptures, though, is not primarily to teach us about life, but about God. The Bible shows us how to have a relationship with God and grow in that as we live out His teachings.
If we view life as a series of challenges, then as leaders we’ll simply be looking for the answer to each question. But if see life instead as a daily walk with God, then we will look to Him in trust regardless of the ups and downs of the day. And we can know God more through His Word. God tells us in Jeremiah 9:23-24, ““Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.” Jesus is not a cheat sheet because life is not a test.
Jesus is not our paramedic. Sometimes a pastor might say, “The church is a hospital for sinners.” And it is true that Christ does heal us from the punishment of sin. We’ve all heard of the “foxhole prayer”, the soldier in the ditch, with bullets flying overhead, who prays to be delivered from danger. God does hear and answer these prayers often. But sometimes God allows us to be in a foxhole because He want to accomplish something there through our life—or even our death.
When a leader is in a crisis, he may turn to Jesus to “help him out” of a circumstance or situation. Then once the crisis passes, he’ll return to his own ways. Jesus is most interested in our complete and total surrender to Him, and the life change that comes with that foundational decision. A life in Christ is not one where we jump from crisis to crisis, but rather grow in trust that God is aware of and working through our circumstances. Isaiah 41:10 teaches, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Jesus is not a paramedic because He is not interested in putting a Band-Aid on our difficulties.
Jesus is Lord and Savior. Often a Christian leader will say of their faith, “Jesus is a part of my life.” But this is not true. Outside of Christ we have no life. Spiritually Jesus gives us life when we surrender to Him. So the truth is that Jesus is life, and we are a part of the life He gives us, not the other way around. You may say, “Well, that’s just semantics.” This, though, is the heart of understanding the Gospel. Jesus did not come to rescue us from our difficulties and tests in life, to patch us up when we are down, or to encourage and cheer us on through our challenges.
In sin we were dead. Jesus came to give us life itself. Not only life, but a spiritual life that is eternal. There are aspects of a relationship with Christ that will certainly encourage us and strengthen us and temper us for what we face on earth. But if we seek a cheerleader, or a cheat sheet, or a paramedic, then we miss the point of Christ being Lord and Savior. Jesus’ primary reason for a relationship with us is not to cheer us on or solve our problems here on earth. Rather, it is to make us into the persons He desires us to be, so that we can enjoy an eternal relationship with Him in heaven.
How we see Christ affects our relationship with Him. John 1:14 teaches, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” If we miss understanding Jesus as Lord and Savior, and instead seeing Him serving some purpose for our own life or goals, then we end up worshipping ourselves instead of Christ. Let’s not make the mistake of treating Christ as far less than He is!
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Jesus does not sit on the sideline of our life, ready to come in to give His take on our challenges. He’s not there to tell us how great we are, and that if we try hard enough, and just believe in ourselves, we can win.