The Greek Mythology gave us the story of King Midas — a king who was so wealthy of gold but still wants to have some more.
To summarize the story — for those who are not familiar with Greek mythology — King Midas was a wealthy king with a bunch of gold in his palace. Based on the story, he showed kindness to Silenus, a satyr and one of the companions of Dionysus — the god of wine and revelry. Grateful to his kindness, Dionysus promised the King to satisfy any wish for him. Then he said: ‘I hope that everything I touch becomes gold’.
Everyone knows that this didn’t end well. At first, it was enjoyable for him — until he needs to eat and until he hugged his daughter.
As a Christian leader, I asked God the same thing. We asked Him to have a perfect leadership using our measurement.
We asked for a perfection using our imperfect lens.
A leader always has the impulse to do the right thing and for things to run smoothly. Just by thinking about it, it feels exciting to think about our plans to be followed the way we wanted it to be followed.
When I become the Youth Leader of our local Church (Muntinlupa Church of the Nazarene), I had the same thinking too. I want to do my best. I want my leadership to be perfect. It needs to be ‘Golden’. I even created our logo a golden phoenix because that is my goal — for us to achieve the golden goal and claim it in Jesus’ name.
There is nothing wrong about wanting to be the best. God is the God of excellence so He deserves the best offering we have.
But, just like King Midas, I asked God the power to turn everything into gold. I asked Him for something I wanted, not what He wanted.
I’ve become as successful as a leader. My monthly report was top-notched. Every church member acknowledges my strength as a leader. Of course, the glory is for the Lord.
When I prayed to collect all these ‘Golden’ offerings to Him, I felt His sadness. For when He looked at the offering I am raising, all His children turned to gold.
I have become so eager about perfection, I overlooked His children — this includes me.
I focused on the programs and the numbers of activities for the youth but as I focused on order — I never asked if they enjoyed it. I focused on all the information from the Bible to teach them but never asked if they found the stories in the Bible relatable — I never asked if the Bible is relatable for them. They’ve learned but we failed to connect it with us.
I’ve turned His children into gold.
That is when I realized that I need to wash my hands off from the gold. I need to remove my own goal and focused on the goal of God. I need to have a pair of hands as warm as His on the cross — not a pair of lifeless imitation that is as cold as gold.
I need my own river Pactolus — the river of life — Jesus.
To be a Christ-like leader is hard. Not because of all the works we are about to do (well, including that, yes) but because it is personal. We cannot lead a bunch of people we don’t know.
We must lead the people we loved the most.
I started to update the logo. I maintained the dominant color as gold but added a few details. The gold stands for our goal. The restoration of God to us. Adding some details like a black (or darker shade of gold) ring which stands for who we are before, dust. It reminds us that we are nothing without Christ. Then I added two orange wings for the golden phoenix. These two wings remind us that we are under the process.
A multi-colored logo seems chaotic — but that is what I’ve learned. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It has to be progressive.
I’ve shared my shortcomings with the youth. I’ve shared my testimony. I removed the perfect face they are seeing. I’ve become real to them. My mistakes, my weaknesses, my fears and even the things I lack.
Before I showed them a standard of excellence which is a great thing to see and now, I showed them how to achieve that standard — layered learning.
As they were saying, they see a warrior in me in the past. A warrior that will protect them. But now, they see me as a leader. A leader that still protects, but gives them a part of me — something to learn that they can use as a weapon.
I’ve progressed from a lonely warrior to a leader that leads an entire kingdom.
Don’t get this as an encouragement to be lazy and make everything chaotic. On the contrary, I encourage every leader to give an extra piece of their lives to their people. Aside from giving your service, give your story. Give you time and be a part of their lives. Learn the trending topics they knew. Dance with the crazy but clean music they wanted to dance to.
Chaos in our eyes, maybe, but order in the eyes of the Lord.
We continue to learn more about God and as we walk with Him, little by little every chaos makes sense.
The next thing I knew, other leaders arise from my people. Other followers lead a few. Many were inspired but the life I gave them — a life that is not perfect but real. Reality inspires them, not the unreal beauty of our gold.
Being a king doesn’t focus on the glory of leadership. It means we must focus on the people of our kingdom. As the King of kings demonstrated to us.
He leads in humility for His people
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8–9, NIV)