Created to Lead

            God created you in his image. One of the many things this means is that you and I were created to lead. God leads. He gives direction and guidance with his word. God created you to do the same.

In Genesis 1:26 states, “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps.’” One of the ways of God is that first he says it, then, he does it. Every time. He is faithful. As you read Genesis chapter one you see this happening over and over again. But when you get to Genesis 1:27 something new appears in the text. In that verse you see a three-fold description of the action of God creating according to his word; “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” The first clear description of the Trinity is seen in this verse. The detail of how God created Adam and Eve will be seen in chapter two, but in 1:26 – 27 you see that first God said it, then, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Sprit did it.

In verse twenty-eight you see God carrying out his plan from 1:26 by giving Adam and Eve dominion, “And God blessed them. And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

The Hebrew word for “have dominion” is radah. This word has the meaning of ruling. It is used throughout the Old Testament to describe human rather than divine rule. One of the places this word is used is in the companion passage to Genesis 1:28, Psalm 8:6 – 8, “You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas.” From the beginning we were the representatives of God on the earth. We were created to give leadership to God’s creation, according to the word of God.

By God giving man dominion over his creation, God was also giving man the way to rule; according to his word. Adam and Eve were the only ones of creation that God spoke directly to. He said the animals were to be fruitful and multiply in Genesis 1:22, but he did not speak that word to them as he did to Adam and Eve.

The message for us is clear; we lead and give direction by listening to God. As God leads us by his word, we lead others according to his word. And we lead by speaking as well as by our actions, which follow our words and also speak, sometimes clearer than our words.

But the question is this: Do you believe that God created you to lead by following his word? Did you know that the words you speak give direction and that your actions reflect that direction? They do because God created you to lead.

Today think about the direction of your words and actions. Do your words strengthen and build up, or do they discourage and tear down? Do they reflect what God has said, or do they echo the world, the flesh, or the devil?

Begin the day by memorizing this verse and then pray it throughout the day, even out loud when you can, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:14.