Looking for a Leader?

What kind of person should lead the country and the people?  Now, is the time to make a difference.  Certainly, only one knows what the people needs.  That’s why we should ask from Him for direction.  That is from God.  Thus, God’s criteria for choosing a leader, is unquestionable and is only the best.  But how can we ask God?  Simple, the Bible will answer, particularly the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The need to pray for our political leaders is also cited by St. Paul in 1 Timothy 2:1-2, “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,  for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.” 

What are the criteria therefore when we choose our political leaders, may it be national, local and down to the barangay level?  The following may be considered as simple tips for each one of us to guide us in picking out from among the very long list of wannabes.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD LEADER

            The best example of a leader is Jesus Christ.  He came to serve and not be served.  Only as we follow Christ can we lead others in the right direction.  The following are some specific standards that may be possessed by one who aim to be a leader:

God-fearing, faithful and his sufficiency are from God.

         “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,” – 2 Corinthians 3:5 (Cited by Bro. Eli Soriano, Presiding Minister, Members Church of God International in his preachings during a Thanksgiving Day Celebration, February 13, 2010)

        A leader should be dependent on God alone and no one else.  Not even, his peers, advisers, consultants and relatives, for assurances of fallible men are not dependable.  Surely, one could put his confidence on the teachings of Christ.  Neither can a leader be proud of his or her gained worldly knowledge and wisdom.  For everything must come from one Super Being.  Instead, he must learn to be fully dependent on God.