Job security is job one

Seth Godin writes in his blog today that he wants to hear my opinion. Based upon my reading of Godin, I imagine if he were my boss, he would want to hear my opinion—or my comment. But leaders like Godin are not as common as they could be. Dianne and I have been reading through the book of Acts in the Bible. It is one leadership failure after another thus far.

Acts 5:17-18 says, “But the high priest rose up, along with all his associates (that is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy; and they laid hands on the apostles, and put them in a public jail.”

Why did these leaders do this? They felt their job was in jeopardy and their authority in question. They were threatened, so they reacted. Poorly. Even after they hear wise counsel from a colleague toward the end of the chapter, they release the apostles, but not before flogging them.

Threatened folks threaten. An insecure individual is not a safe person. Leaders, like the rest of us, are prone to believe that maintaining is job one. However, this belief is rooted in insecurity and promotes threat.

Jesus taught that we are secure in Him—secure enough to accept opinion, receive counsel, consider alternatives, and that we are secure enough to lay our lives down on behalf of another.