Leadership Lessons From John the BaptistNäide

Lesson 2. Leaders develop existential intellect.

John the Baptist lived in the desert, wore modest clothes, and ate whatever was there in the desert. The choices of everyday nature (where to live, what to wear, what to eat) were specified by his call. It was not the dwelling that defined the call, but the call defined the place and style of life. That shows a deep awareness of the high goal and the sense of his existence. In modern leadership, this trait is called existential intellect. A leader is to be a person who has a clear awareness of his/her call and subordinates their entire life to this call. Bible leaders God worked through in the life of society had a clear awareness of their call, had God’s priorities, and were a life example based on their values. High goals and values were not mere mottoes and declarations, but the real life of those leaders.

Here are some questions to ask yourself:

• Why do I make this or that purchase? What influences my choice?
• Why do we make these or those decisions in life?
• Are our choices specified by our call?
• Does our call define the place we live in, what we purchase, and what things we use?