God-Centered Leadership

Leadership has changed through time. Graft, corruption, red-tape, fixing, etcetera, are transparently established in some of our public administrations right now: vote buying, overpricing, deals, to name a few. What some of our political leaders tend to forget is that what they’re doing could greatly result not only in political and financial corruption but also moral and psychological imbalance, especially among the youth.

As a God-fearing community, the Philippine government in general should have avoided dishonest acts. Had our leaders allowed God be the center of their leadership and if only our leaders honestly listened to Him, misconducts could have been corrected the soonest time possible, and most especially, could have been avoided through constant communication with Him, The Potter.

The Young Minds Academy (YMA) of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. did its part to imbue a God-fearing leadership among its Season 2 scholars. In the recently concluded S-Leadership Seminar of YMA, Ms. Selene L. Yu, the Vassal-in-Charge of The Potter’s Leadership Academy spoke before more than 100 participants of YMA. When she said: “God is The Potter, and man is the clay,” she emphasized that we are guided by our Potter. And in order for Him to mold us, the clay must cooperate.

In S-Leadership, S stands for Son, Servant, Seer, Shepherd, Steward, Spirit, Solidarity, Successful Leadership and Stress Managed Leadership. “S-Leadership is more than just a position… S-Leadership is firstly about character… Character stems from the heart,” stressed Ms. Yu. She also highlighted that leadership without involving the Sovereign Potter may yield worldly success, but it can only be regarded as temporal and today-driven entrapment. It is not regarded as eternal in nature.

In Son Leadership, through His Son, God will center one’s heart and life if one will allow Him. Servant leadership is highlighted by four characteristics: intimacy with God, obedience to God, reflection of God and honoring God. As Ms. Selene said, to be a servant leader, one should be obedient to God’s purpose, in God’s time and by God’s way. “Pride is a great enemy of servant leadership,” she added.  Seer Leadership is a leadership that flows from servant leadership. It is trusting, seeking and executing God’s revealed direction. A shoot from servant leadership is Shepherd Leadership. It is obedience, service, love and developing people in His way. In addition, a steward of God means managing His gifts to mankind. Moreover, it is on the management and utilization of God’s endowment upon His creations. Receiving the power of the Holy Spirit is the foundation of Spirit Leadership.

But before leadership in the Philippines is absolutely replaced by the cancer of corruption and dishonesty, may we, along with the present local and national leaders, in our shared efforts, find ways to cure this growing infection as soon as possible? Reflecting on what Dr. Jose Rizal said that the youth is the recognizable hope of our nation, may the young people continue to soar like an eagle that soars high and may the youth completely recognize Him. For in Him we move and owe our being. Serving this nation with God as the center of our hearts, will for sure, make this country become number one.

Let’s take it one step at a time because change is a process. Let’s take it in God’s way and in God’s time.

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