Ramblin' Dan

Dan Roloff is the editor of TheHighCalling.org, and his blog, Ramblin’ Dan, has a little bit of everything. At times, a theologian, philosopher, comedian, publisher, sports enthusiast, and businessman, Dan offers a transparent look at the high calling of one man’s work.

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Leadership is fundamentally the ability to influence another. Power is fundamentally authority in action. If you are a leader who grants functional authority (like a supervisor, parent, elected official, pastor, military officer, etc.), then you have power. Specifically, you have the power to take action and direct others into action.

Jesus has a warning for positional leaders and managers.  If you understand what’s expected and you misuse your authority by mistreating people and indulging selfish desires, then you’re in trouble. There’s a price to be paid. Be ever mindful of your faith and live it (Luke 12:35–48).

For a person of influence without a position of authority, power looks different. Power for the influence leader, as opposed to the positional leader, comes from followers who take action freely. They choose to follow a leader based on his or her influence.

Similarly, Jesus has a warning for influence leaders. In each of the Gospels, Jesus warns about leading others astray.  (See Matt. 18:6–9; Mark 9:42; Luke 17:1–2.) He says, "It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.”

Power can draw a leader in to wanting more. It can distract a leader from the organization's stated purpose. In fact, power can be an agent of sin.

That was Jesus’ warning. When we use our influence to cause others to sin, Jesus tells us that there’s a heavy price to pay. Prayer and discernment are important actions for any leader. They keep us centered in Christ, helping us to avoid temptation or subtle evil. Power is like money. Everybody needs some, but handled selfishly it can lead to destruction.

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