How the Internship helped me become a leader
Written by Rashidi Hines
Hey everyone, it’s Rashidi Hines from Team 13 and during my time as an intern, I struggle with not seeing myself as a leader. Then I had to remember that God does not make any mistakes in putting people in that position. I had to realize this from my first two camp rotations at Camp Grace and Ta-Pa-Win-Go. When I was partnered up with one of my teammates who struggle with staying focus being task-oriented during the times where you need to relax and where I helped uplifted them with compliments to get them through the day. A leader is someone who is a role model who can influence people with a vision of a Christ servant, who shows meekness and discipline. Being a leader can be hard and a big responsibility for some people to lead a group on the right or wrong path. Today I will tell you how you can be a leader in the right way through Christ.
The first thing about being a leader is controlling your tongue. James 3:5&6 (New Living Translation), “in the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.” The tongue is the biggest part of being a leader because when you use it right; it can influence others and lead them toward the path of righteousness. For example, uplifting your teammates and being a group together with your motivation. One example of using the tongue for evil is talking back and cursing those who do you wrong. The tongue is the most deadly weapon of being a leader that can motivate and influence others. James 3:9-10 (in New Living Translation) says, “Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so, blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!”As a leader, our tongue can bring glory to those around us but can also bring down others by slandering their names. Always remember to use your tongue the right way.
Another thing about becoming a leader is standing out from the group. By this, I mean like by the way you act when you are around a group of people. 1 Corinthians 15:33-34 (in New Living Translation) states, “Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.” Think carefully about what is right and stop sinning. For your shame I say that some of you don’t know God at all.”. The certain people you hang out with will determine the way you act towards someone. As a leader, you must be the one to show everyone that you are different and want to see them succeed. When you are around people you want to make that impact on them and influence them to be on the right path. Matthew 5:16 states (in New Living Translation), “In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father”. As a leader people will see how different you are through Christ leading you down a different path. No matter as a leader you can lead others down the path of righteousness by standing out from the group and turning away from any temptations that will corrupt you throughout your journey.
The final step into becoming a good leader is the attitude that you put into it. For the first couple of months, I had an attitude that was impacting the authority and my teammates. As a leader your attitude will have to be sharp and under control. One way to help keep your attitude good is by memorizing a Bible that will help you overcome any bad attitudes that could ruin the chance of you leading others. One of the Bible verses I memorized for my bad attitude was Colossians 3:13 (in New Living Translation) that states, “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” This verse helps me a lot with my attitude towards others and builds a better relationship with them. When I memorized that verse, it helps remind me that I have to be more forgiving and be a better leader with a great attitude in any situation. Philippians 2:14-15(in New Living Translation) states, “Do everything without complaining and arguing so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.” Through Christ, a leader has to do everything without having a bad attitude or just being angry at someone. Also, Philippians 2:3-5 (in New Living Translation) states, “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.” You must have the same mindset to care for others and not just your own understanding but put others first before yourself. Your attitude as a leader will affect your whole team if your mind is not right.
It’s important to be a good leader to those who are around you because you don’t know what opportunity that God has planned out for you and your group. Being a leader can be hard at first but it will be a lot easier for you as you learn more about it. I hope my blog on being a leader helped you out and overcome the obstacle that is in your way.
Rashidi is a part of the CBM Internship program, which exists to encourage young people to experience missions! To learn more about the CBM Internship program click HERE .
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