Be Led then Lead

"Give in? Be just commonplace? You, a sheep like follower?  You were born to be a leader! Among us there is no place for the lukewarm.  Humble yourself and Christ will kindle in you again the fire of love." St. Josemaria Escriva from The Way. (16)

I love the urgency of this passage: the call to conquer lukewarmness, and become leaders.

Particularly, in the New Testament I am inspired by the transformation of the disciples from cowardly, ignorant, backwoods followers, to bold, inspiring, and courageous leaders, spreading the gospel throughout the ancient world.  I can totally relate to the struggles of the disciples. So many times I have chosen the path of least resistance, the peace at all costs mentality, which buries the gospel underneath a bushel. So many times I have been lukewarm and have not proclaimed the liberating, good news of Jesus.  I want to be more like the disciples after Pentecost.

I am consoled by St. Paul when he says in his second letter to the Corinthians,

"I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities; for when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Cor 12: 9-10)

Sometimes it is so easy to get overwhelmed.  The most important thing that I must realize is that it is not about me.  It is about Christ working through me.  To become a leader one must be led first.  The disciples only became leaders when they submitted their wills totally to Christ.  I believe that leadership is directly related in proportion to how one follows the Lord.