Monday, October 08, 2007

The Most Powerful Man in the Room - Andy Stanley

Andy spoke in the first session out of John 13. He posed this question: What do you do when it dawns on you that you're the most powerful person in the room?

All things were under Jesus' power, so what did Jesus do? He shed his robe (his symbol of authority) and humbly washed the disciple's feet. This act of humility stunned the disciples. It made Peter uncomfortable. Then Jesus put back on his symbol of authority and told his disciples to follow his example.

If you want to know what to do when all eyes are on you, you need to follow Jesus' example: Shed your symbols of power for the benefit of those under your power. Look for ways to leverage your power for the sake of the other people in the room.

I'm still thinking through this whole issue. I'm not, by any means, even close to being an expert on authority and leadership, but when I look back on my life I see how so often I have not laid down my authority for the good of those under my authority. I see how often I have not followed Jesus' example, so it leaves me with some questions: How does this look in the life of a church planter? How does a person, who has a vision from God, life this principle out on a daily basis? How do you flesh this out in your family?

I'd love some comments or responses. (Make sure you add your name because I usually don't post responses from anonymous, whoever anonymous is)

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