Together in Christ: 'Valuing Leaders' — Hebrews 13:7

Saturday, April 20, 2024

Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith.

— Hebrews 13:7 NLT

Key Thought

Remember your leaders...

We should let that command from the Holy Spirit settle into our hearts. We live in a time when leaders are scrutinized, questioned, loathed, criticized, and hounded. Their motives are questioned, their integrity challenged, and their performance evaluated based on people's personal preferences, desires, and limited information. As followers, we have grown accustomed to the divisive and partisan negative portrayals of leaders on social media. Unfortunately, many of us have grown cynical of leadership in general. We must NOT treat our spiritual leaders disrespectfully and cynically while calling them to live by Jesus' standards and not the world's values!

Kingdom leadership was re-fashioned by Jesus' example [1] and teaching. [2] The over-emphasis on charisma, personality, attractiveness, and power in worldly leadership are forbidden by Jesus for His followers' leaders:

Then [Jesus' disciples] began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them. Jesus told them, "In this world the kings and great men lord it over their people, yet they are called 'friends of the people.' But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant. Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves." [3]

The Holy Spirit tells us to "remember" our leaders. This kind of remembering must include the proper respect for the unique call of Christian leaders seeking to lead in the way of Christ Jesus. Leaders are those who have shared the word of God with us. They have lives of goodness and faith. So we honor them for their service to Jesus and to us. We must also look at the good coming from their lives as we commit to following their examples. [4] We are to love them, respect them, and live peaceably with each other [5] to make their leadership a blessing to them and to us!

[1] Philippians 2:6-11.
[2] Matthew 23:1-12; Mark 9:30-35; John 13:1-17.
[3] Luke 22:24-27.
[4] 1 Corinthians 11:1; Philippians 3:17.
[5] 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13.

Today's Prayer

Almighty God, please bless Your leaders in Jesus' church. I pledge to honor Your leaders and pray for them as they seek to lead in the footsteps of Jesus and based on His example and teaching. Please protect us, Your people, by giving us leaders of vision, service, sacrifice, and love. Please protect Your leaders by awakening us to our need to love, respect, encourage, and follow Your leaders. I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

  • John 13:1-17
  • 2 Corinthians 4:1-18

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Illustration

Illustration of Hebrews 13:7 NLT — Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith.

About This Devotional

Together in Christ is a daily devotional that focuses on what Scripture teaches about godly living in relationships.

'Together in Christ' is written by Phil Ware.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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