By Olubunmi Adebayo
*Continuation of yesterday’s Reflection on learning to work under the shadow of others.*
*You must understand that no leader will give you what you want so as to become another leader like him without you surrendering yourself to be tutored and mentored. None that I know. Even Jesus Christ expected the availability of His followers in discipleship processing :*
*Mark 3: [14] “And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach”.*
*Don’t forget too that when Elisha became a master, he had no room for untrustworthiness or such nonsense from his subordinating lieutenants.*
*For example, after Gehazi returned from where he had gone to collect what his master had rejected from Naaman, Elisha asked Gahazi : “Is this time to receive money, vineyard, garments?”.*
*2 Kings 5: [25] But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither.*
*[26]And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?*
*Taking a cue from the above, you must understand the position of the “concept of timing” as your leader sees it, or else, there will always be conflict of interest in your two perspectives.*
*Take for instance, while a Director may be busy trying to consolidate the activities of a department, his Deputy may be busy trying to enjoy just the perquisites and pleasures of the office or he may be eyeing something entirely different from that of his superior officer. In this situation, there cannot,but be conflict between the two of them.*
*3) Also note that your leader may be struggling with special constraints of his office or position, while you are having your eyes on something else. If this happens, there will also be conflict of interest. The constraints will put your leader on the edge, and if you are not wearing the shoe with him, you will not likely be on the same page on issues.*
*4) Inability to understand your master well, may also be the cause of conflict while under his shadow. Every man needs to be understood, no less, your master. You must understand his likes, and dislikes. Failure which there will be needless troubles in your relationship with him or her.*
*5) While you are under somebody’s shadow, never be overtly ambitious. The more you are openly ambitious, the more you will put your chances of success or of surviving him in outright jeopardy.*
*6) Disregard any advantage you may have over your master. You may be older than him, or richer than him, or wiser than him, or more educated than him, or more exposed or connected than him, etc. Any attempt to consciously lap on any of these, or any other advantage for that matter, will sink the boat of your relationship with him. Remember, Peter was much older than Jesus Christ, yet he still learned under his Master. Elisha was far richer than Elijah, yet he endured everything under him.*
*To be concluded tomorrow, God willing.*
Do have a great day ahead of you 👍
©️ Olubunmi S Adebayo.
