Great Leaders Serve
Daniel 2:30 “As for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because I have greater wisdom than anyone else alive, but so that Your Majesty may know the interpretation and that you may understand what went through your mind.”
Daniel 2:30 NIV
Great leaders serve others. Poor leaders make everything about themselves.
Daniel, in effect, says here, “It’s not about me.”
What was important was not the messenger, but The Message. God was speaking to the king. It took someone who walked with God to deliver God’s message.
The Medium Was Not the Message
With apologies to Marshall McLuhan, the medium was not the message. It was not Daniel’s platform which gave him this opportunity to speak into the king’s life. It was Daniel’s ear attuned to God’s voice that gave him the opportunity to take the action necessary to save many lives.
When you hear politicians politicking, when you hear celebrity sermonizers sermonize, listen carefully to their language. Those who talk about themselves — “My administration” and “My church” — are quite likely leading us astray.
Contrast this with Daniel’s way of life and his communication of every message he delivered. As he heard what God said, he wanted the intended recipients of the message to hear what God said. The Message is what mattered.
Don’t Block the Light
Daniel knew better than to get in the way of The Message.
Think of this way: Humans require spotlights. Jesus is the Light of the World.
Application
I will hear and deliver God’s message without any desire for personal attention.
Prayer
Our Father, give me ears to hear what you are saying. Empower me to deliver your truth in whatever manner you select. Deliver me from the temptations of excess attention. Amen.
