A few years ago, I had the privilege of helping lead the three- and four-year-old group in my church’s children’s program. Expecting maybe three kids, we ended up with close to fifteen. Nearly every night. For a week.
Yikes.
I had so much fun hanging out with these kids and pointing them to Christ. But the most challenging part was getting them to listen. When one kid misbehaves, the others misbehave as well.
One girl was quite the instigator, and she didn’t like to be quiet or sit still. She threw fits if we didn’t let her have her way.
So what did the other kids do?
Took after her.
This experience got me wondering: What is a good leader all about? There are some great examples in the Bible. War heroes like Joshua, Gideon, Deborah, or Saul. Kings and queens like David; his son, Solomon; and Queen Esther. Prophets such as Samuel, Elijah, Nathan, and more. And New Testament characters—everyone from the Messiah to Timothy, a young man leading the church.
God did not make everyone to be leaders. The Bible is clear that we each have different gifts and we should embrace whichever one He gave to us (1 Peter 4:10).
So, what are some qualities of a good leader? Let’s dive in!
1. Righteous
Leaders aren’t necessarily powerful speakers—but they certainly should be good at leading by example. After all, just because we’ve been saved by grace doesn’t mean God wants us to keep sinning. Teachers have a higher standard to live up to, since they have the most influence (James 3:1).
2. Humble
If you want to be a good leader, you must humble yourself. Bad leaders are arrogant, puff themselves up, and pretend to be better than everyone else. Godly leaders serve people, not themselves.
Good leaders don’t hand off a job because they’re too “worthy.” Instead, they take the job, no matter how nasty. Jesus is the perfect example of this! Just take a look at Philippians 2:5–8.
3. Hard Working
Everything you do is either for or against God. And considering we’re His bondservants, we should seek to worship Him with our work (Colossians 3:23).
4. Fair
Is it just me who hates when leaders pick favorites? Good leaders will always play fair. They’ll give honor where deserved and take it away when necessary.
Just as everyone is loved equally by the King, we should love them too. James 2:1–4 strictly forbids us to show partiality to anyone because of their earthly status.
5. Seeks Unity
Philippians 4 tells of two women who need to “be of the same mind in the Lord.” Otherwise, their division could drive others apart as well. Maybe they were instigating the church to take sides on a matter that really . . . didn’t matter.
6. Wise
Solomon was the heir of the throne after his father, David. He saw David flourishing as a man after God’s own heart. He saw the times his father had fallen short.
One day, God told Solomon that He would give Solomon anything he asked. Riches, honor, land. Solomon’s request?
Wisdom.
Most might have scoffed at this request. Where does wisdom get you? A colossal palace—that would be nice.
But God saw that Solomon was already extremely wise to be asking this. He granted this request. Solomon became the best king of his time.
7. Students
Good leaders aren’t arrogant enough to think that they’re better than everyone else. There’s always something to learn. These leaders know their weaknesses and go to people who have those gifts and use their wise advice. Rehoboam wasn’t like Solomon, his father. According to 1 Kings 12:8, he rejected wise advice, ending up in the destruction of his reign.
8. Good Examples
Matthew 7:12 is what we commonly call the “Golden Rule.” What does this mean? Don’t treat anyone with contempt. If we want others to be hard workers, we should have passion. Of course, not everyone will follow your example—but you would be a hypocrite if you didn’t do what you expected from others.
9. Honors God
As an attribute that ties everything together, honoring God comes before “putting on a show” or “trying” to be a good leader. Honestly? Following God is the first step to becoming a better human in general, which is exactly what we want our leaders to be.
Being a leader can be a tough job. People look up to you, despise you, and need your guidance. But leaders are also in the perfect role to show what kind of leader God is—humble, just, righteous, merciful.
Can you lead like that?
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