Daniel, Chapter 5, Verse 19
Because he made him so great, the nations and peoples of every
language dreaded and feared him.
Whomever he willed, he would kill or let live; whomever he willed, he would
exalt or humble.
The “He” we are talking about is King Nebuchadnezzar.
Daniel here explains to Nebuchadnezzar’s grandson that "the Most High
God" gave Nebuchadnezzar power and greatness, which allowed him to do
whatever he wanted as king. But God proved to Nebuchadnezzar that only God was
really in charge, by making him live in the wild with the animals for seven
years and forcing Nebuchadnezzar to acknowledge God. Yet, says Daniel,
Belshazzar failed to learn the same lesson and become humble.
Only humble leaders can be secure in their own
power.
The Law of Empowerment says that only secure leaders
give power to others. But what does it mean to be secure? Using the
analogy of personal finance, let’s look at what’s missing from the lives of
insecure leaders. This will help us better understand where security comes from
and why it matters. Paupers, debtors, and hoarders lack the real or perceived
financial security necessary to give generously to others. Paupers have no
source of income aside from the financial assistance they receive from someone
else. Penniless and dependent, they’re clearly unable to help others
financially. Leaders without purpose are like paupers. They have no
passion, low energy, and little drive to grow in influence. Usually, their only
source of power is the position they have been given by somebody else. In terms
of personal authority, they’re impoverished. Debtors may have nice salaries,
but their expenses exceed their income. They’ve maxed out credit cards and
taken out hefty loans. Consequently, they’re stuck paying exorbitant interest
rates on the amounts they have borrowed. In an upside-down financial situation,
they’re in no position to give generously to others. Leaders without
authenticity are like debtors. Someone deeply in debt may appear wealthy,
even though they’re secretly on the verge of bankruptcy. The closer you inspect
their life, the more signs of dysfunction you see. Similarly, inauthentic
leaders may seem to have all the tools to lead with excellence. However, they
are missing the crucial component of moral authority. They do not practice the
values they preach, and they prefer to keep others at arm’s length to hide
their shortcomings. Hoarders are sitting on a pile of wealth, but they think
only of protecting it rather than of sharing it with others. They have the
plentiful resources but are unwilling to part with them. Leaders without
humility resemble hoarders. Having put their talents to work, they enjoy a
significant amount of power. However, they’re worried about others taking it
from them or gaining more of it than they have. So, instead of using their
influence to empower others, they keep it for their own benefit. As leaders, we
can only lift others up when we’re standing on a firm foundation. Purpose,
authenticity, and humility give us a secure, stable base from which to lead.
Purpose is the answer to the question: why do you want to lead? The best
leaders have a purpose that is greater than they are. Their “why” involves more
than accumulating money or seeking self-actualization. They see leadership as a
calling rather than a career, relishing the opportunity to use their unique
talents to accomplish something significant that will outlive them.
Authenticity means being comfortable in your own skin. Authentic leaders have
self-awareness, self-respect, self-confidence, and emotional maturity. They
prize integrity above image, and they seek to build trust with others on the
basis of their personal character. Humility is often wrongly associated
depreciating and downgrading ourselves. However, true humility flows out of
gratitude and comes when we credit God for our blessings and others for our
successes. As Rick Warren teaches, a humble leader doesn’t deny his strengths;
he’s simply honest about his limitations. Humble leaders feel no need to
trumpet their status, are unthreatened by criticism, and revel in the
accomplishments of others. They put their pride aside so that others have room
to shine.[1]
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