Leading anything of significance will involve complexity, and therefore the possibility of anxiety.
Leading anything of eternal value will include spiritual attack.
In 1 Peter 5:6-11 the Apostle is addressing a group of house churches spread throughout Asia Minor. He begins this chapter by specifically directing his exhortations to the leaders of these congregations. Peter postures himself as a leader who does not dictate from above, but as one who comes along side in authenticity and humility. He commands them to lead God’s people as a shepherd, which includes guiding, protecting and providing. He challenges these leaders as to their motives for leading. Why one leads always affects how one leads. Peter concludes this section with a call for every leader to choose to don the slave’s apron in leading. That is what it means to clothe oneself in humility. In this verse humility has a context-one another.
In verse 6 Peter provides another command for these leaders, and for the congregation at large. Now humility has a subject and an object. They are to humble themselves under God’s authority and supervision. The idea is to live out your leadership as a fellow leader, a forgiven leader, and a broken leader. The opposite would be to lead as an entitled leader, a proud leader or a superior leader.
Peter now highlights two potential distractions for every Christ-centered leader: anxiety and spiritual attack.
Verse 7 speaks to the need to “cast” all of one’s anxieties upon a mighty God. Anxieties can relate to anything that weighs you down in leadership. That includes people or things. It often includes the daily troubles of leading. It can actually connote being burdened by the true cares of leadership, what you are most rightly concerned about. But it becomes a weight that truly hinders you from being able to look up and to look out. Peter uses a very action oriented verb in telling these people to hurl their distracting cares to God. Why? Because He cares for them. You have to chase back to Matthew 6:25-34 to learn that God has total knowledge of your needs and an attitude of perpetual care. He can be trusted with your distracting leadership cares–hurl them like a fast ball to Him in prayer.
Verses 8 and 9 remind these leaders that they have an adversary, and it is not those they lead. It is Satan himself (the very name means “adversary”). Peter gives us clear imagery as he describes Satan’s pursuit of Christ followers like that of a “roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Peter tells these leaders to be alert, watchfully aware. But notice the solution for Satan’s derailing schemes is not to flee, but to “resist him, firm in your faith.” This literally means to stand opposed to him, to take your stand through your faith in Christ, the conquering Lamb. You are not the first to suffer spiritual battle. The strength to resist is accompanied by the knowledge that we have brothers and sisters around the globe who are suffering similar (and sometimes in more severe) ways. It is the God of all grace who will be our rear guard and who will re-establish us in our leadership when suffering seeks to eclipse us.
Distracted leader, you are to “cast” and “resist.”
That may need to be a conscious choice many times throughout any given day. The cares are endless. The potential attacks are always lurking. This is true for every Christ-centered leader who longs to make a difference. But we serve One who reigns.
“To Him be the dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”
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