Leadership is a call God gives to many people irregardless of background, qualification or training. It is primarily because of the fullness of Christ that we are given gifts such as the gift of leadership and the ability to carry out our gifts regardless of how God makes us.
One common misconception I have had for the majority of my life is that God has reserved a seat for me way at the back because He made me to be introverted. For years I ran away from a call to lead in ministry primarily because I believed in the stereotype of an energetic, naturally charismatic people-magnet that God uses to become leaders.
But then came the realisation that not one single leader that God had called in the Bible fit the perfect mold that is the world's definition of a leader. Moses was a stutterer, David was too young, Abraham was too old, Gideon was a coward, Joseph was ambitious yet God used each and everyone of them in mighty ways.
Leadership has nothing to do with how we look or appear on the outside, but has everything to do with the contents and character of the heart. In 1 Samuel 16:7, God clearly tells us, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart."
Whether you're introverted or extroverted, whether you're young or old, whether you have a master's degree or a high school diploma, God can and will use you to lead in your specific sphere of influence and even grow your influence if you only allow Him to work in and through you. 1 Timothy 4:12 says, "Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity."
For Timothy, age was a crutch that he felt prohibited him from leading. For each and everyone of us, it may be different. It may be a disability, a character issue, an economic status, an educational attainment issue or anything else, but be reminded that it is by God's grace that we lead through the empowering example Christ gave us and through His Holy Spirit, we can be gifted with the ability, the words to speak, the decisions to make and the opportunities to rise up so that we can be the leader that God meant for us to be.
Don't look at what the world looks at, but look instead at the heart. Is your heart open and willing to be used by God with all humility? Or do you still think that it's about you, your qualifications or your disqualifications even? It's time to look at what God sees - the Jesus inside of you that can turn the impossible into the possible.
