Who is your master? Examining true Christian leadership in your life

In our journey of faith, we often face a fundamental question that cuts to the heart of our Christian walk:

Who is truly our master? While the answer seems obvious - Jesus Christ - the reality of our daily lives may tell a different story.

The Importance of Honest Self-Examination

Developing a genuine relationship with Christ requires brutal honesty with ourselves. It's easy to say "Jesus is my master," but the proof lies in how we actually live our lives. This isn't about judgment, but about authentic spiritual growth and allowing God to work through us as individuals and as a church community.

Just as a baseball team needs a clear vision to win championships, the church needs clarity about who truly leads us. Without this foundation, we remain stuck in patterns that prevent us from becoming the bright light we're called to be in a dark world.

What Competes for Our Allegiance?

Is Tradition Your Master?

Many churches find themselves guided more by tradition than by Christ's teachings. When we constantly say "we've always done it this way" or "we've never done that before," we might be serving tradition rather than Jesus.

The Pharisees were trapped by tradition, and it blinded them to God's work right in front of them. When does honoring the past become a rut that prevents growth? Medical practices evolved beyond bloodletting -shouldn't our faith practices also be open to God's leading?

Is Money Your Master?

Jesus gave a clear warning in Matthew 6:24: "No one can serve two masters... You cannot serve God and mammon." If Christ truly was our master, we would never worry about money because God promises to provide all our needs when we seek His kingdom first. Too often, churches hide behind "good stewardship" when they're actually being controlled by financial fears. God gave us His own Son - how could He withhold anything else we truly need?

Is Family Your Master?

While family is important, some people prioritize preserving the church "for their family" over serving Christ today. The church doesn't exist for our families - it exists for Jesus Christ. When we make decisions based on family legacy rather than God's will, we've misplaced our allegiance.

What Does It Look Like When Christ Is Truly Your Master?

Surrender and Submission

If Jesus is your master, you will surrender your life to His divine authority. This means giving up your right to say whatever you want and instead speaking what He wants you to speak. You'll trust Christ's authority instead of valuing your own thoughts and opinions above His word.Scripture teaches us to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding"(Proverbs 3:5-6).

When we truly submit to God, we can resist the devil and he will flee from us (James 4:7).

Commitment Through Obedience

Commitment to Christ shows itself through obedience to His teachings found in Scripture. This includes:

• Loving God and Others: The greatest commandments are loving God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and loving your neighbor as yourself. If you don't love God properly, you cannot love others properly.

• Repentance: True repentance means changing direction, not just confessing sins. If you keep repeating the same sins without change, genuine repentance hasn't occurred.

• Abiding in Christ: Jesus said those who abide in Him will bear much fruit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

The Challenge of Forgiveness

Perhaps the most difficult mark of Christ's mastery is forgiveness. Jesus commands us to love our enemies, bless those who curse us, and pray for those who persecute us. If Christ can ask God to forgive us after what we did to Him on the cross, how can we refuse to forgive others?

Consider Louis Zamperini, the Olympic runner who was tortured by the Japanese in World War II, then returned to Japan after the war to share Christ with his former captors. That's what forgiveness looks like when Christ is truly your master.

Daily Commitment and Service

Jesus said, "If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me" (Luke 9:23). Making Christ your master is a daily decision, not a one-time commitment.

This commitment shows itself through service - to God, the church, and the community. There's no insignificant act of service when done in Christ's name.

Life Application

The path forward begins with you. You cannot control whether others allow Christ to be their master, but you can make that choice for yourself. Christ must be your master before He can master your church or community.

This week, start each day by making a conscious decision to deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Jesus. Examine your life for evidence of His mastery - are you marked by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control?

Ask yourself these challenging questions:

• What decisions am I making based on tradition, money concerns, or family expectations rather than Christ's will?

• Where in my life am I holding onto unforgiveness or harboring grudges?

• How am I serving Christ, my church, and my community this week?

• What evidence exists in my daily life that Jesus Christ is truly my master?

Remember, if you're not willing to surrender control to Christ, don't stand in the way of those who are ready to explode for the Lord. The church has everything in place to be a beacon of light - it simply requires individuals who will allow Jesus Christ to have His proper place as master of their lives.