Divine Insight

As you grow spiritually and become rooted in Christ, your view of and connection to the world around you changes, and you become more aware of your place in it. You will realise that you are best placed to influence, lead, and serve your community, nation, and the world at large. God gives those who trust in Him vision for the world around them and divine insight into how to improve the lives of the vulnerable. If we believe that Christians are the most in-tune with God’s heart, how important is it, then, that those same believers are in positions of authority? Let’s look at Joseph who secured a better future for all people. Addressing his family when they came to Egypt in desperate need of food, Joseph said,

“God sent me ahead of you… to save your lives by a great deliverance. So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt” (Genesis 45:7-9)

In Genesis 41 we see Joseph being made ruler over Egypt. Verses 40 to 41 say, “You [Joseph] shall have charge over my house, and all my people shall be governed according to your word and pay respect [to you with reverence, submission, and obedience]; only in [matters of] the throne will I be greater than you [in Egypt].” Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you [in charge] over all the land of Egypt.”

Godly Service

This is not restricted to serving in church and the body of Christ, but it extends to our purpose in our communities and nation. By serving in these spaces, we exemplify how people in positions of governance, leadership, and influence should serve with integrity and compassion, seeking to build others up. (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

Jesus spent a lot of time helping those who were in need. Our actions as Christians should reflect Jesus’ deeds. 1 John 3:17 says, “If anyone has material possessions and ignores his brother in need, how can he love God?” We are called to lead our communities and face social challenges head on, setting up projects and initiatives that will solve issues such as:

• domestic violence, substance abuse and addiction

• unemployment, homelessness & poverty

• prostitution, teenage pregnancies, radicalisation

• criminalisation

• family breakdown

and many more.

Here’s a specific example: You can set up a charitable organisation to alleviate the challenges of childcare, offering affordable nursery care so that parents of young children can return to work easily and provide for their families. You can organise summer camps and after-school clubs to provide children with a safe environment to gain independence and life skills. On Sundays, we gather as the church to worship God and enjoy community together. On Monday morning, when we are in our own homes, neighbourhoods, and workplaces, we are still the church. It is in these places that we are called to be the presence of Jesus, serving his world, and witnessing his love to others—day in, day out.

Being a Christian should affect all aspects of our lives: our family life, relationships, priorities, how we use our resources (time, talent, money, etc); our attitude to work and leisure; and how we approach the big issues that affect our world, such as justice and peace.

You Can Do It!

1. In the same way, you can be a Councillor, Mayor, Member of Parliament, Minister, or Prime Minister.

2. You can sit on the Board of Directors and be a C-Suite business leader.

3. You can be at the cutting edge of artificial intelligence, space, and cybersecurity research and policy.

4. You can be a Professor

5. You can be an impactful philanthropist

6. You can be a world-class leader in the creative and digital arts

7. Go for positions of influence with a clear, God-given vision for how to cause change

Habakkuk 2:2 says,” Then the Lord answered me and said, “Write the vision And engrave it plainly on [clay] tablets So that the one who reads it will run”

The possibilities are endless and ours for the taking, in Jesus’ name.