as Jesus had directed them

A friend once told me a little saying that goes, "Do not lead me for I may not follow. Do not follow me for I may not lead. Just walk beside me and be my friend." Quaint little saying. But as I listened to a story about how my fella who's not yet five showed some natural leadership in his Sunday school class, I thought about how wrong that saying is.

Some are naturally gifted leaders. Leadership is one of the spiritual gifts recognized by many churches. Others are called into positions of leadership, gifted or otherwise. And while among friends, all are equals and peers, leadership is not a thing to be excluded for the mere sake of egalitarianism.

Leaders don't always lead because of a belief that those behind will follow. Leaders should lead in order to use the gifts given them by God. And others should lead because they were called to do so and want to be obedient. Seems to be some discomfort in acknowledging that among peers there are roles to follow. That's the world's issues around obedience and authority. Don't make them your issues as well.