Leaders will encounter and endure conflict. Jesus, the greatest leader of all time, was born into a time of conflict and genocide. He was hunted even as an infant, yet, He knew the times when He needed to lay low and when He needed to stand up and become the hunter! Jesus understood that, in order to lead, you would need to face those who would come against you.

Leaders need to be shrewd and cunning. Matthew 10:16 says that we need to be as gentle as doves and as cunning as serpents. We are used to the idea of the dove-like Jesus—so sweet and caring and compassionate—but we have trouble reconciling the serpent-like Jesus who is unafraid to challenge up and speak the harsh words that we don’t want to hear. Jesus can do this and encourages His leaders to do the same because He was immovable from the truth. We, too, need to be immovable regarding God’s Word. Yes, we need to be compassionate and many times our silence will be more impactful than our words, but when we take a stand, we take a stand on God’s Word. It is the same yesterday, today, and forever.