Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges in their book Lead Like Jesus: Lessons from the Greatest Leadership Role Model of All Tim write that “pride and fear always separate us from God, from each other, and us from ourselves” (58). What does this look like?

How does pride and fear separate us from God?

• Too ashamed about failure to talk to God
• Too arrogant to pray
• To afraid of the answer to ask God the question
• Too full of our own agenda to wait for God to reveal His agenda

How does pride and fear separate us from other people?

• Too prideful to say we need help or we don’t understand
• Too fearful of rejection to take a stand
• Too fearful to say no when we no is the right answer
• Too fearful of losing control to share information or power
• Too convinced of our own opinion to consider conflicting information

How does pride and fear separate us from ourselves?

• Too sensitive to others’ opinions to listen to our own heart
• Too busy fixing others’ problems to look at the mess inside
• Too much making excuses and too little repenting
• Too full of our own agenda to wait for God

One of the greatest challenges in seeking to lead like Jesus is the intimacy it requires. The biggest barrier to intimacy is a fear of vulnerability–fear of having to admit you don’t know all of the answers, that you may need help, and that your abilities as a leader may be in question.

Believer’s are called to cast their eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). Believer’s are the recipients of a perfect love that is found in Jesus Christ and this perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18). Thus, we do not need to be fearful of what God will do to us as we’re already the object of his affection, love and acceptance on account of the Son. And in our acknowledging who we are and who God is humility should come forth, rather than pride. In fact, the very act of becoming a Christian is depending on another for something we cannot do ourselves so there is no room in the Christian’s heart for pride. God opposes the proud but gives grace and favor to the humble (James 4:6). Turn from pride and fear and rest in the work of Jesus and what he says about you in his word.