Love: A Christ-like Quality Church Leaders Need
If we had to choose the greatest quality a leader should possess, it would be love. God's Word identifies love as the greatest characteristic (1 Cor. 13:13) any follower of Jesus should have which makes sense when we realize it's also the greatest commandment (Matt. 22:37-40). As such, love also becomes the greatest credential for being identified as followers of Jesus (Jn. 13:34-35).
Love is so important that God's Word says, "whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen." (1 Jn. 4:20) Without love we're like "a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal" and we are "nothing" and "gain nothing" (1 Cor. 13:1-3). -- Why be a leader if we aren't going to make a difference?
Love is a Christ-like Quality
We love, not merely because it's the greatest commandment but "because He first loved us" (1 Jn. 4:19). Jesus didn't just instruct His followers to love, He lived it so they could know it through experience and come to rely on that love (1 Jn. 4:16). And so, we're exhorted to love not just as He commanded (1 Jn. 3:23), but as He has loved us (Jn. 15:12).
"Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." (Jn. 15:13)
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom. 5:8)
Why Love is Such an Important Quality for Leaders
Since love is the Greatest Commandment (Matt. 22:37-40), leaders who possess this quality provide an example of what it means to follow Jesus. Fully devoted followers are those who love the Lord with all of who they are which spills over into loving others. We pray, worship, and serve the Lord because we love Him, not out of some sense of religious duty. We come alongside of other believers in true fellowship because we love them with the love of Christ, not simply because we're church members. We share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with non-believers because Christ's love compels us (2 Cor. 5:14), not because it's the Christian thing to do. Let people see the difference a life motivated by love makes.
In following the greatest commandment to love, leaders offer people what they need to experience the most. Sure, people like when leaders inspire them in their faith and they benefit from counsel that gives them hope. But, what they most need from a leader is someone who truly cares and doesn't just say what they want to hear. We need "faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love" (1 Cor. 13:13). Motivated by the love of Christ, we will accept people where they are yet spur them on to God's best for them. Let people experience the difference a life motivated by love makes.
By steering the Church to love as Christ loves through example and experience, leaders will equip the Body with the greatest tool for reaching out to those who do not yet know and love the Lord. Jesus said, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (Jn. 13:34-35) Let the world around us see Christ through us so they too not only have an example of His love but experience it as well.
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