Identifying and developing future leaders is a big part of any leader’s job. It doesn’t matter if you are a small family-owned company, a Fortune 500, or a non-profit organization; you need to identify and develop leaders.
It’s no easy task, but having a leadership transition plan is a critical aspect of any organization’s long-term success.
Jesus spent three years selecting and developing the men who would follow him. The twelve Jesus selected were Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John, Phillip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew, James, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, and, of course, Judas, the traitor.
We don’t know a lot about all of Jesus’ disciples. We don’t even know what some did for a living. There was Matthew, the despised tax collector. Peter, Andrew, James, and John were lowly fishermen. Simon the Zealot was, as his name implies, a religious zealot.
I don’t know about you, but these are not the resumes of men I would consider as future leaders.
Yet, there was something special about each man Jesus picked as a future leader.
Perhaps the most intriguing of Jesus’ picks is Peter. On at least three occasions, Jesus chose Peter to witness or participate in a miracle:
- Peter was one of three disciples (Peter, James, John) whom Jesus allowed to witness the raising of Jairus’ daughter from the dead (Mark 5:22-43
- Peter was the one disciple of God who revealed the identity of Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of the Living God (Matthew 16:16).
- Peter was one of three disciples (Peter, James, and John) who went with Jesus to the mountain, where they witnessed Jesus’ transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-4).
Jesus obviously saw something special in Peter. Otherwise, He wouldn’t have revealed Himself to Peter and wouldn’t have allowed him to witness Jairus’s daughter’s resurrection or Jesus’s transfiguration!
Peter’s Three Failures
I find Jesus’ trust in Peter particularly curious because Peter messed up on a grand scale at least three times!
First, there was the time Peter’s faith faltered (Matthew 14:30). Jesus was walking on water, crossing the Sea of Galilee, when Peter boldly asked Jesus to walk on water with Him. Peter did well for a moment, but his faith faltered when he took his eyes off Jesus, worrying about the wind and the size of the waves, and he started to sink.
Next, there was the time Peter had the temerity to rebuke Jesus (Matthew 17:21-22). Jesus had just finished predicting his torture and execution. Peter thought he knew better when he said, “Never, Lord! This shall never happen to you!”
Finally, there was the time Peter denied Jesus. Jesus predicted the disciples would fall away, but Peter swore he would never run, even if all the others deserted Jesus. Peter said he would die with Jesus rather than deny Him (Matthew 26:31-35).
Then, later that night, just as Jesus had predicted, Peter denied knowing Jesus three times (Luke 22:54-62).
Peter Repents and is Restored
As soon as Peter realized what he had done in denying Jesus, he turned away and wept bitterly (Luke 22:62).
After Jesus’ resurrection, He appeared to the disciples as they were fishing. When the disciples came to shore, Jesus asked Peter three times, “Do you love me?” Three times, Peter said he loved Jesus. And three times, Jesus commissioned Peter, saying, “Feed my sheep.”
Peter failed often, but he learned from his mistakes. Peter knew not to take his eyes off Jesus. Peter learned that God’s plan is best. And Peter learned to trust Jesus with all his heart.
Jesus restored and commissioned Peter because Peter had learned from his mistakes.
Failure Can Make Us Better Leaders
Every leader I know has failed at some point. No one is perfect. The question is, “Will we learn from our mistakes and become better leaders?” Or, “Will we stubbornly refuse to acknowledge our mistakes and continue on the path to failure?”
More Articles
I have written several articles on a leader’s humility. You can find them by typing “Humility” in the search bar. Meanwhile, here are three of the most recent ones.
- #223: Let Us Stop and Remember Whose We Are
- #133: What Oops! Do Starbucks and Haggen Have in Common?
- #129: What have you done for one of the least of these?
Join the Conversation
As always, questions and comments are welcome. Do you know leaders who refuse to accept their failures? How do these leaders impact an organization? Have you become a better leader because you learned from your past mistakes?
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Category: Personal Development | Humility
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