It’s often said that leadership equals influence. As an apostle, Paul was commissioned to influence people. He explained his approach and process this way:

“When I came to you…I did not come with brilliance of speech or wisdom. For I didn’t think it was a good idea to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I came to you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. My speech and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a powerful demonstration by the Spirit, so that your faith might not be based on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.” – I Corinthians 2:1-5 HCSB

Sure, God had gifted him with great abilities, however:

• He didn’t rely on excellence of speech
• He was determined to focus only on Christ
• He went in weakness, fear and trembling
• He wasn’t dependent on persuasive words
• He wanted their faith to be specifically in God’s power.

Perhaps you don’t consider yourself a leader…you can be.

Or maybe you don’t think of yourself as influential…you are.

It’s less about skill set and more about mindset. Whether it’s modeling good habits for your kids, keeping the peace on your street, or helping a co-worker; the goal is to rely on God‘s power, not your own. So don’t worry about perfection; focus on obedience and the rest will follow.