What can I do to lead well?  How do I help others continue moving toward spiritual growth? What do my group members need from me?  How can I model good leadership for them?  What did Jesus do?

If you have a christian leadership role in any capacity, including in the home, these questions may have run through your mind a time or two.  There is always room for improvement and we desire to give our best and our all, knowing that ultimately it is the Lord Jesus whom we serve.  So what is that character trait that helps us lead well?  How do we develop it?

You may have seen those Facebook posts recently – “take the test”.  Find out what career you should have, what city you should live in, which TV character you are or which Disney princess is most like you etc.  Well, to find out what leadership trait you need most, no test is needed. The mix of a leader’s skill, gifting, experience, and knowledge is greatly enhanced by this one leadership trait. Predictability!

Who wants to be predictable?  Maybe you would rather be surprising, interesting, adventurous, and out of the ordinary?  I like that kind of leadership too!   But an even better leader is a surprising, interesting, adventurous, out of the ordinary, and predictable leader.

Predictable

[pri-dik-tuh-buh l]

1.     able to be foretold or declared in advance

2.     expected, especially on the basis of previous or known behavior.

Are you a predictable leader? Can you be counted on?   Do they know you will do what you say?  Do they know you are praying for them?  Do you keep confidences? Do you have a strong and steady love and commitment to those you lead? Do they trust that you genuinely have their best interests in mind?

There is no better leadership model than God Himself; who is far more predictable than we give Him credit for.  All His actions bear the stamp of predictability. He is perfectly reliable. Consider these verses:

I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.  Jeremiah 31:3

Your righteousness is righteous forever, and your law is true. Psalm 119:142

God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:9

For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No, but in him it is always Yes. 2 Corinthians 1:19

For he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  Hebrews 13:5

God is surprising, interesting, adventurous, and out of the ordinary for sure, but also very predictable. His promises are yes and amen!  Is predictability one of His communicable attributes? A synonym for predictability is faithful, so yes, God shares His faithfulness with us.  And a faithful God makes predictable leaders.  You don’t need a test; just follow Him.