TRUE Security
by Joanna la Fleur
So, you want to be a leader? Good!
How “offendable” are you?
Many years ago I heard Pastor Carl Lentz say something about criticism that totally transformed my thinking on the topic. He’s received his fair share of critique at Hillsong NYC, and when being interviewed one time he said (paraphrase), “We WELCOME criticism. Why? Because if they’re right, we can change. And if we don’t agree, it only affirms the direction we’re headed and what our values are”.
I love that. It’s a posture that allows you to receive feedback, criticism, or negative comments about you, but unlike a lot of advice which is basically, “Ignore it all and you do you” or “Carry someone’s opinions with you your whole life”- and it says- Think about it. Consider it. But use a filter. Have thick skin that can take a few jabs without carrying offense.
Have thick skin that can take a few jabs without carrying offense.
When writing a letter to a younger leader, the Apostle Paul gives his disciple Timothy a long list of credentials for what to look for in who to trust as a leader in his community.
1 Timothy 3:1-3 says, “If anyone wants to provide leadership in the church, good! But there are preconditions: A leader must be well-thought-of, committed to their spouse, cool and collected, accessible, and hospitable. He must know what he's talking about, not be overfond of wine, not pushy but gentle, not thin-skinned, not money-hungry…”
Not thin-skinned. Think of this example from high school science class. Opaque objects block light from traveling through it. Transparent objects are totally see through, letting everything in. But translucent objects allow some light to travel through them, but filters some. Materials like frosted glass and some plastics are called translucent.
To be a leader, you need to be translucent to offense or criticism. Let some of it in, filter some of it out.
How can we do this?
Christ reveals to us our true identity
When we find our true identity and our true security in Christ. Christ reveals to us our true identity: that we are more sinful than we could ever imagine, and more prone to failure than we care to admit. And yet, we are more loved than we can possibly know, and will inherit a royal position as sons and daughters of the King too great for us to comprehend.
When someone criticizes you, do you react or attack? Do you ignore the offender and live in “cancel culture”? Or can you honestly say, as you remain secure in God’s love for you, that the truth about who you are is far worse than the critiquer could even know, and yet your position in God’s family carries you higher than any offense can get under your skin.
To be a leader, you need to be so secure in God’s love that you’re unable to be insulted, but you are able to receive an honest critique.
Saint Francis of Assisi is known to have said, “Blessed is he who expects nothing for he shall enjoy everything.”
All we have as daughters in God’s Kingdom, is a gracious gift and the mercy from God. We hold all things loosely, even offense, knowing that it can shape us to look more like Christ, as we continue to point to Jesus, not ourselves.
So the next time you feel criticized or offended by someone, receive it too as a gift, and filter out the gunk. No matter the truth or lies of the words, you are truly secure, beloved, and a child of the King.
Joanna la Fleur is a speaker, podcaster, tv host, and communications consultant. With business and theology degrees, she has been helping the local church communicate the best news in the world for over 15 years. You can catch her interviews with Christian creatives and communicators on the “Word Made Digital” podcast and her bible teaching on the national tv show, “See Hear Love”. Joanna has travelled to 35 countries in search of coffee and calls Toronto her home.