Session 13

Why you need to be leading you

From Proverbs: A 31-Day Devotional

Proverbs 6:7-8 says the ant “has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.” How does the ant know what to do if it doesn’t have a leader? The answer is that it probably learned from watching other ants do those very things from a tiny, early age.

If we pay close enough attention and take the time to learn, we don’t actually need anyone to tell us what to do or what steps to take in our relationships with Jesus.

A couple of years ago, a man said something similar in relation to his wife. He doesn’t have to tell his wife to read her Bible because she knows its value and she knows how. She does it on her own because it matters in her relationship with Jesus. He is her husband and he leads her, but leading is more than pushing others to do what they should be doing anyway.

Too many of us put obedience on hold until someone tells us what to do. That’s too much pressure to put on anyone, whether it be your husband, your pastor, your wife, your small group leader, or whoever else you think should be leading you.

Proverbs 6:20-22 reminds us that proper instruction prepares us to operate and act on our own. Having leaders does not excuse us from doing what needs to be done, taking care of ourselves, and taking our next steps with Jesus. The Bible is our instruction. It’s time to take responsibility for ourselves and act, just like the ant.

Reflect:

• Is there a step in your relationship with Jesus that you’ve been putting off until someone else tells you what to do or confirms that you should do it?
• Who are the leaders in your life? What do you expect from them? Are you expecting too much?
• Is there anything you’re avoiding that you need to take responsibility for now?