How you see yourself is key to how you will lead others. If you are insecure, you will live in fear of being usurped and be overlooked for promotion. It will be difficult to really achieve much because you will be holding back your hard chargers. We see this clearly with King Saul that we will talk about later in this chapter.
If you see yourself as totally brilliant and totally the best, then ever was it as likely that you will be arrogant, and in this case, you will not benefit from others because you are unteachable.
Let's start with some basic identity lessons.
Genesis 1:27 tells us that all humanity was made in the image of God. We, at the base, of our identity are image bearers. Granted we are typically tarnished image bearers. But that is who we, and everyone else, is at their core. They are made in the image of God. That means that we need to look at others as wondrously and gloriously made. That is true even if they look, vote, smell, or think different than you. That is true about yourself when you look in the mirror and you only see your warts and scars. It is the truth when you have blown it and failed at countless interactions and lost opportunities. You are an image bearer.
John 1:12 tells us that for those that choose to become Christians, that they are given the right to be called children of God. When you think about this truth, and a second truth that God is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, that makes you nobility. Look in the mirror and know that you are nobility. You are an image bearing noble who is representing the King. Tell yourself that daily. It is so easy to forget that truth. It is this choice that starts to polish up that tarnished image of God that is reflected in the mirror. You are nobility.
Revelation 2:17 reveals that there is a third level of your identity. There is a white stone with your name on it. This is the truth of how God sees you. It has nothing to do with our own perceived successes or failures. It is how God wired us and is how He sees you. To discover this, you need to spend time with Him and ask Him to reveal to you what this name might be.
Do not rush this.
Do not become frustrated if it takes a long time. Also, when you think you see it, your first reaction will be to doubt it. If the name fills you with doubt but a small piece of you is willing to see it, you are on the right track. Start living this identity and see how it feels. Finally make sure that you are discovering this identity and aligning it with the Bible.
This quest for identity is critical for successful spiritual leadership. I read about a study where they had a group of Asian women take a math test. Before they went in to take the test, some were reminded of their Asian identity and others were reminded of their femininity. Now in case you did not know it, the stereotype of Asians is that they are good in math, women have the stereotype of not being good in math. It really does not matter that this is not grounded in truth. These women seemed to, at least at some level, believe it, because those primed to consider their Asianess performed massively better on the test than those thinking about their womenness.
Consider carefully how you look at yourself.
Your life is a bit of a test. How you select to look at yourself is powerful. Also note that this is important as you lead others. Help they see themselves as God sees them. Lead them to know Him and let Him speak through you as needed.
