Transformational Leadership. Part 1

What can you learn from a caterpillar?

Our story starts with a little caterpillar. He lived on a leaf. He ate some food and slept, and that was his life. He liked his leaf and he felt content. He made nothing of himself and he did nothing in the world. One day he saw some butterflies flittering around the flowers.

Something inside him changed. A feeling became a hope, from a hope a thought, and from a thought a statement and from a statement an action. He began to make a chrysalis. He lived in the chrysalis for two weeks. He began to change to transform. The hardest part was yet ahead, for now, he had to break free of his self-made prison. He struggled with all his might to break free—one step at a time.

Finally free.

He stretched and warmed his new wings. Suddenly he had a strength he didn’t know he had. YET his work wasn’t done. It was only beginning. Now he began his true calling. He flew from flower to flower and began to spread the life-giving nectar around the world. He is directly responsible for beauty, growth, food, and oxygen.

“DON’T BE AFRAID TO GIVE UP THE GOOD TO GO FOR THE GREAT.” – JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER

As Mr. Rockefeller explained, your life may be good but there is greatness around the corner. That greatness lies dormant in you. Your leadership lies dormant in you. It’s up to you to push it out. Don’t settle for good when you can go for the great.

Caterpillar Growth or Transformational leadership takes three steps. Just 3 Steps to be transformed.

1. Brave Step. Be willing to confront what you don’t like. The brave step means looking inward and deciding where you need to grow.

2. Push Step. Perspire to do something about it even if it takes the rest of your life. You have gifts in you that the world craves but they can only come about if you are willing to fight for them.

3. Give Step. Once change comes it takes the steps to fly. But unlike the fly who only deals with crap all day long… the butterfly adds to the world. It makes the world a better place.

The Leadership of Queen Esther: Part 4

And Esther replied, “If it please the king, let the king and Haman come today to a banquet I have prepared for the king.”

5 The king turned to his attendants and said, “Tell Haman to come quickly to a banquet, as Esther has requested.” So the king and Haman went to Esther’s banquet.

6 And while they were drinking wine, the king said to Esther, “Now tell me what you really want. What is your request? I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom!”

7 Esther replied, “This is my request and deepest wish. 8 If I have found favor with the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my request and do what I ask, please come with Haman tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for you. Then I will explain what this is all about.”-Esther 5:4-7

Esther full of faith, boldness, and the favor of God has entered the Throne room and granted an audience with the king. Instead of being foolish and ousting her enemy Haman right in the midst of the kings court which might have backfired on her; she sets up the right moment by inviting the king to a banquet. After lavishing her love and service on the king not once but twice she then give him the request of her heart. A request for her people to fight and defend themselves. She made a plan and carried it out in order to get what she wanted. Making a plan and then carrying it out is a key element to being a leader.

A good leader makes a plan to succeed. If not they will plan to fail. Many time your subordinates just need some security to know that their is a plan in place.

Set a goal. Make sure it’s manageable and measurable.

Make steps. Take the necessary steps to achieve that goal.

Carry out. Carry out that plan out with determination.

Adjust as necessary. Many times you may need to adjust your plan to meet your goal in mind.

Proverbs 22:3, “A sensible man watches for problems ahead and prepares to meet them.

The Leadership of Queen Esther: Part 3

On the third day of the fast, Esther put on her royal robes and entered the inner court of the palace, just across from the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne, facing the entrance. 2 When he saw Queen Esther standing there in the inner court, he welcomed her and held out the gold scepter to her. So Esther approached and touched the end of the scepter. 3 Then the king asked her, “What do you want, Queen Esther? What is your request? I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom!”-Esther 5:1-3

Queen Esther demonstrates an extraordinary feat of faith and boldness in this passage. She came uninvited into the presence of the king. As she explained to Mordecai in the previous chapter, this one act had the potential to end her life. I'm sure Esther was thinking about the downfall of Queen Vashti before her. A person did not just come into the court of the king uninvited. By faith, Esther entered, and because she had sought the Lord in fasting and prayer, she had the favor of God on her life. God's favor was the reward for her bold faith. An extended scepter and good standing with the king were the fruit of her bold faith.

Bold Leadership.

Leadership takes boldness: Some leaders need to get up in the morning and put aside their personal feelings and introverted tendencies, their naturally shy personality, and to be the leader their family, employees, or team needs them to be. Boldness might look like fighting for your people when no one else will. Boldness might be standing up for your morals and standards, though it goes against the grain.

How do you gain the boldness to be a leader?


Boldness comes from spending time with Jesus. Jesus was one of the boldest leaders ever. But He demonstrated boldness as he was led by the Spirit and not as His flesh dictated.

Be Led by the Spirit: If you open your mouth and speak based on your flesh or emotions, you might get lucky, or you might get fired, or hurt someone, or stick your foot in your mouth. Demonstrate boldness as the Holy Spirit leads you. The Bible shares about how people prayed for Boldness.

Know your authority in Christ Jesus: Read Ephesians 1, 2, and 3. The fullness of Christ (seated at the place of authority in Heaven ) dwells in you! You shouldn't be weak or timid. Know your identity, which is grounded in the assurance of Christ Jesus' identity.

Boldness Comes from Practice: You may have yet to develop Esther-sized boldness. Then, she didn't have much of a choice. You can start to practice boldness in more minor situations today. Please don't wait for the significant opportunities to be bold; it will be harder to do so. Practice boldness in the small things to be ready when the bigger opportunities come your way.

Prayer: Father God, I need your boldness today. I ask for and believe I receive the boldness that Esther presented and that Jesus demonstrated. Holy Spirit, help me to listen to your voice. Help me to get a revelation of my authority in Christ Jesus, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

The Leadership of Queen Esther. Part Two

It is her leadership that saved the children of Israel.

She led the people to fast and pray. She sought the council and wisdom of her uncle and she sought the wisdom and favor from the Lord. Strong leadership demonstrated in humility and boldness; not just her good looks and charm procured the results her people needed and the world needed for salvation.

And they told Mordecai what Esther had said. 13 Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think to yourself that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. 14 For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”-Esther 4:12-14

“Who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther was in a divine position at the palace for just such a time to influence the Jewish people in a time of trouble and devastation. Let us look at the beginnings of her leadership to bring salvation to her people.

1. She had compassion. I remember the infamous words of Marie-Antoinette, "Qu'ils mangent de la brioche," or in English, "Let them eat cake." Her fabled response to the fact that her subjects were starving and could not buy bread. Queen Esther is not like that at all. She cared and had compassion for her people. One of the first marks of a true leader is whether compassion is genuinely on display.

2. She was humble. Though Esther was Queen of Persia and wore the royal crown, she humbled herself and listened to her uncle's sage wisdom and warning. Throughout the book of Esther, she adheres to the advice of someone who is her elder and has worldly and Godly wisdom. A good leader is humble and teachable and listens to the advice of those who have come before. A good leader doesn't always have to be right all the time, but they must be willing to learn and listen.

3. She sought the Lord. Godly leadership begins and ends with seeking the will, wisdom, and way of the ruler of Heaven and Earth.

Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, 16“Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.” 17Mordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.-Esther 4:15-17

Scripture shares with us, I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.-Psalm 34:4

Multiple scriptures share the same idea that the beginning of wisdom is seeking the Lord. When we seek God, He will give us divine downloads from Heaven and instruct our way, words, and will. When you are in the midst of a leadership call, you need to make a tough call for your family, your business, or your church; make sure that you take the time to seek the Wisdom of God and the revelation of the Holy Spirit who can see all ends to all things and can orchestrate and establish your coming and your going.

Proverbs 9:10 ESV-The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

Prayer: Father, as I am making a leadership call, I need your will. What is it that you want to do that will give you glory? Father, I thank you today for your wisdom. The Bible says that any man who lacks wisdom should ask you, and you will give him wisdom abundantly. By faith, I believe I receive wisdom today, in Jesus' name.