Leaders don’t make excuses By Rick Warren

One of the most basic job descriptions of leaders is that they accept responsibility for the problems of others -- problems they didn’t cause. Leaders don’t make excuses.
They don’t look at their churches and say, “Those people got themselves into this mess, let’s see them get out of it”.

If you see a problem in your church and say, “It’s not my business,” you’re not a leader.

If you see someone with a problem and you say, “It’s not my responsibility,” you’re not a leader.

If you see a problem but you say, “I don’t have the talent or the funds to do something about it,” you’re not a leader.

Leaders don’t make excuses. They take what they have and do the best they can to help others. The Bible says in Proverbs 22:13, “The lazy person is full of excuses.” (NLT) Leaders aren’t lazy.

Leadership isn’t about you. It’s not about your problems, your needs, or your prestige. It’s not about you; it’s about helping other people with their problems and how those problems can be solved.

Moses did this. Hebrews 11:25 says, “Moses chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.” (NIV) Moses was raised in Pharaoh’s palace, the ultimate place of luxury in his world. Out his window were one million crying, dying slaves.

Moses could have easily turned a deaf ear to them and said, “I’m sorry but I don’t have time to get involved in that. It’s none of my business. It’s not my responsibility. Would somebody please peel me another grape?”

But he didn’t. He was a leader, and leaders accept the problems of other people and make them their responsibility.

Pastor, that means you can’t blame others for problems in your church. The problems may have been at the church when you arrived. But you’re the pastor now. When sheep have problems, the shepherd has problems.

This is not just limited to your church. Take a look at your community. Is there a need you can meet? It’s easy to say it’s not the church’s job. It’s easy to say let the government fix it. If you want your church to take the lead in your community, the church has to take on the community’s problems as its own.

Is unemployment high in your community? Is illiteracy climbing where you’re church is located? Are the children growing up without fathers? Instead of passing the buck, challenge your people to be a part of the solution.

It’s what Jesus did. He didn’t have a sin problem. He was perfect. He could have stayed up in heaven and enjoyed his perfect relationship with the Father. But, as Paul tells us in Philippians 2, Jesus didn’t take advantage of his divine nature. Instead, he took on the responsibility for our sin.

That’s Jesus. That’s leadership.