“Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith” (Hebrews 13:7).

We have just completed a study of Hebrews in the Tuesday Bible Study. The last chapter, Chapter 13, includes some instruction to this audience of Jewish Christians who are living in an uncertain world where persecution and false teaching is prevalent. The author is instructing them on how to live their lives in this culture, which unfortunately, closely resembles our own. Therefore, these instructions are applicable also to us.

The focus of this devotional is two verses in Chapter 13 that speak to leadership. The presumption in verse 7 (quoted above) is that the leaders live a way of life that we as followers should imitate. Some of you might quickly react that the leaders you know do not live lives you would want to imitate, and that may be a valid point.

However, I urge you to consider another viewpoint. There is not a staff position at Nashville Rescue Mission that does not include a leadership element. That is because the people we serve are being led by us. Each guest or program participant is subject to our authority as staff. And many of you also supervise staff and program participants.

With this viewpoint in mind, how would the people under your authority evaluate your way of life? If anyone has the opinion that this is judgmental, remember that we are known by our fruit. The people around us do not know us by our good intentions. They often do not care about the challenges we have endured. All they know is what they see and hear.

I pray that we will daily evaluate ourselves in light of this scripture, ask for conviction for where we fall short, and strive to carry out our work roles in a way that is skillful and gracious; that we will strive to be examples worthy of our calling, and that by our example we will lead others to faith in Christ and to a better way of life.

“Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you” (Hebrews 13:17).

In Christ,

Judy