Regardless of how clearly leaders see the horizon, clouds are bound to roll in. Some days we just feel foggy. Our leadership can fall flat because of mood, sickness, criticism, or just plain fatigue.
The biggest cloud over our leadership is sin. It darkens us from the inside out, drowning out our connection with the Holy Spirit.
Though he didn’t know it at the time, Leo fell victim to a wave of sin in himself and others. People’s selfish fear, greed, bitterness, malice, envy, and ambition swirled around him. It broke apart the unity of the team and nearly sank the company.
This kind of sin comes naturally to people. Even the apostle Paul couldn’t escape it:
Romans 7:21: “So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me.”
The first law of sin is that it never leaves us. Second, the Holy Spirit enables us to see it for what it is: an unavoidable aspect of human nature. Third, he enables us to recognize sin and fight against it with truth and love. As Peter says, “Love covers over a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8).
Finally, the gospel closes the book on sin. Jesus defeated it. He was the perfect sacrifice, “in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Col. 1:14).
As leaders, we must deal with our own sin by trusting in Christ’s redemption. And we must ask the Holy Spirit to help us fight its effects in those around us.
