When he called Peter the “rock,” Jesus wasn’t affirming Peter’s performance as much as his devotion (Matthew 16:18). He could see all the flaws in Peter’s character, but he also saw that Peter loved him and sincerely wanted to serve him. He knew that Peter, like David, would stumble many times, but would learn from his experiences and continue to grow in holiness. Thus, he had the most essential quality for leadership: humility
.
This is a lesson we too can take to heart. God has put each of us in charge of something, whether it is a job, a family, or a ministry. Whatever role we have, he wants us to excel in it. But God can’t help us very much if we are trying to run the show all by ourselves! To lead, we have to become followers, acknowledging how little control we actually have over our lives or the lives of those around us
. It’s when we surrender ourselves to the Lord that we begin to notice real progress—progress that only God can produce, progress that goes far beyond what our efforts alone could possibly bring about.
This doesn’t mean giving up our responsibilities. Instead, it means entrusting them to the Holy Spirit and living by his power and grace. If we do this, not only will we have “the peace of God that surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).
We will be so much more effective as well. It all starts with getting down on our knees: We truly do become conquerors in Christ when we finally learn to say,
“I surrender.”
