How to Lead Well When Underqualified
By Ashley Moore
“Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?” The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom. - 1 Kings 3:9-10, NLT
Have you ever felt underqualified? Maybe you are encountering Imposter Syndrome? You are lacking skills compared to others, and you’re still learning the ropes of a new task. For example, a recent nursing graduate may experience this phenomenon for the first several times she engages with patients at her new job. Or a writer may experience this syndrome when asked to present the material from their book at a conference.
Whatever the case, imposter syndrome can be debilitating, paralyzing, and sometimes even derail people completely from entering into new ventures prompted by the Lord. New experiences come with steep learning curves and often reveal our weaknesses. When we are accustomed to proficiency, it can feel intimidating to be a beginner again.
Yet, the Lord illuminated through Scripture many accounts of calling His people to new roles and responsibilities for the good of His people and His glory. That’s the context and backdrop leading up to today’s key verse. Solomon, son of the mighty King David, was called from childhood to take over his Dad’s role as King of Israel (1 Kings 3:5-10). I imagine Solomon experienced imposter syndrome as He stepped into his father’s shoes, however, we can learn a thing or two from his response. Here are two takeaways from Solomon’s request for an understanding heart and wisdom.
We Can’t Lead Alone
Solomon was about to be the King. This was a role with many responsibilities and would require Solomon to make decisions about military matters, economic matters, public disputes, and anything and everything in between. And as if leading people wasn't tough enough, Solomon was called to rule God's chosen people! And he realized rather quickly how impossible the task would be if all the weight of that responsibility rested on him and him alone (1 Kings 3:9).
But how many times have we taken on tasks and tried to accomplish them with our own strength? Not realizing this is a grave miscalculation of our ability and a missed opportunity to grow the Kingdom of God. Working together in a team has innumerable benefits. As Solomon pointed out, it takes many people to govern. Having a variety of people around you who are equipped with certain giftings and various experiences and connections will only serve you and bless the people you serve. Working as a team with fellow believers has a wonderful way of sanctifying us all into the image of Christ. Like Proverbs 27:17 says, As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. May we listen to advice and take instruction from others so we may have wisdom for all of our days (Proverbs 19:20).
We Can’t Lead Well Without God’s Help
Solomon understood that, as a human, he was very capable of making the wrong decisions. Still, he desired to lead God’s people well (1 Kings 3:9). He understood it would be impossible to successfully lead the people without God's guidance and direction. God needed to change Solomon's heart to one of understanding, teaching him to fully grasp the difference between right and wrong.
We need that too. Whether we are office admins, ministry leaders, or parents, the people God gives us to steward belong to God. And without His help, we can’t lead them well. We can’t know for sure if we are making good decisions unless we are gaining wisdom and understanding from the One who is all-knowing–God.
The Bible says even if our own hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts and He knows everything (1 John 3:20). We can lead well when we go to the One who knows our hearts and the hearts of everyone we lead. He promises that when we seek Him with all of our hearts, we will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13, James 4:8) And He promises that we can ask for wisdom. He will give it freely without finding fault, just like He did for King Solomon (James 1:5).
Maybe imposter syndrome is God's way of exposing our lack of wisdom, uncovering the heart posture we need to lead well. The truth is we can’t lead God’s people well by ourselves and certainly not without God’s help. But we can find what we need to lead with a heart of understanding when we turn to God for wisdom.
Intersecting Faith and Life:
How do you react to spiritually stretching seasons? Do you shy away from new challenges because they expose weaknesses, or do you tackle new experiences with grit and sheer willpower? The next time you feel the growing pains of change, say a quick prayer asking God to give you wisdom and understanding to accomplish His purposes for you well.
Further Reading:
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