Today marks Maundy Thursday in our Christian calendar.
This is the day where Jesus endured so much. In just one day He washed his disciples feet, gave a new command to love, shared in last supper, anguished in the garden for all that was to come and was then betrayed, arrested and deserted.
Not the greatest of days in the life of a leader!
We all know that sinking and saddening feeling of being betrayed and many of us know the feeling of experiencing leadership betrayal.
Trying to journey well through these experiences and not letting them stick is so hard, and yet it is key to our ongoing leadership success.
What leadership lessons can we learn from how Jesus led on this day?
Jesus knew that Judas would betray him, which must have been incredibly painful for him to process and work through. Most of the time we get little, or no, heads up of the leadership betrayal we sadly experience, which makes Jesus' reaction even more poignant and revolutionary to learn from.
Here are three lessons we can learn from Jesus when it comes to leadership betrayal.
1) Consider your first response
Do not let the act of the betrayal cause you to respond unthinkingly or unkindly. Jesus' actions and attitude to Judas in this moment were remarkable. He called him friend. He then permissioned Judas to do what he came for - which was to betray Him!
Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend.”
He did all of this knowingly and with such great integrity and intentionality.
Jesus' commitment to radically live out His final command to love is astonishingly challenging. What would it look like for us to do the same?
This isn't about letting people walk all over us. It's about a grace and love-filled response that says no matter what the betrayal, no matter how long they have known, and been led by you - choose love.
2) Consider others
Do not let others get caught up in the act of betrayal.
Twice in this story we see Jesus intervene to stop collateral damage and cause minimal repercussions.
His quick actions to heal the high priest's ear and to talk down the crowd defused what would most likely have become a riot. Jesus was comfortable in his call and recognised that no one else's intervention or involvement would help or be healthy.
Remember, God is your vindicator and as much as you want to be understood, and have people on 'your team/side', getting your crowd caught up in the betrayal will never be a healthy option.
Jesus' leadership choice to stay low and stay humble models so much to us about how to behave when caught in a similar moment.
Responding quickly, and containing hurt and damage enabled a better way as it will for us also.
3) Consider the the bigger picture
There is always a bigger picture at play. Step back, look up and consider it.
Jesus understood that all of this was to take place so that He could make a way for us.
His choice to see the bigger picture rather than his own pain was for our, and the whole of humanity's, gain. Wow!
And even after all of this, He was yet to experience the pain of being deserted by his followers and the greatest pain imaginable on the Cross.
Had Jesus reacted differently, the story of the next few days could have been so very different. How he held that agonising moment in the garden of betrayal made a way for Mary, and us, to met him in the garden of redemption and resurrection.
Jesus chose life! Jesus chose to deal with rejection and betrayal well and he left us with these instructions...
John 13: 34“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Amy Summerfield
CEO Kyria Network
We are so excited to tell you that our new logo, website and brand - with new ways of how to get involved and support - is just round the corner!
This Monday 5th April we start a 7 day countdown to reveal the 'new' as we head towards...
12th APRIL - LAUNCH
You will receive a one-off mid-month email with our new look and link to the website!
We can't wait to share the journey with you and show you all that God has done! We are so thankful to God for all he has done in the life of Kyria thus far, but we see this as a milestone moment and a significant reboot.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
✔️ PRAY for us - As with every rebrand comes a lot of work. The team have been working so hard. Do pray for us in the days leading up to our launch for energy and strength and for no technical hitches. Pray for Paul, our designer, who has created a amazing brand that we are all so very proud off.
✔️ PROMOTE us- If you don't already follow us on social media then please do! Get ready to support and share! We would especially appreciate your shares on the launch day and your words of support would mean so much to us.
✔️ PARTNER with us - With the new launch come brand new opportunities of how you can partner with us financially. If you have been blessed by the work of Kyria and see it as a resource to your leadership then please consider how you can give so we can keep that work going? More details on how to do this in the launch.
ONLINE EVENT: 29th April 7:30-9pm
TO BOOK: ClickHERE
TO FIND OUT MORE :ClickHEREto watch a video discussion with the contributors
Choose to challenge, conscious and unconscious gender and racial biases.
This session will explore these issues, increasing your understanding, aiding you to be the catalyst for positive change in eradicating racial injustice within your circle of influence.
If you have suffered in this area, come. If you have no idea about this area, come. If you want to make a difference, come!
Contributors include Olivia Amartey (Executive Director of Elim International), Catherine De Souza (Senior Leader of Cardiff City Church) and Lisa Leonce (Director of Efil Coaching & Kyria Team Member)
Kyria Network has recently co-hosted a series of podcasts with Diamonds Scotland. Diamonds exists to support and equip young women to discover their true identity in Christ.
Kyria's very own Chloe, who sits on the Kyria leadership team, has co-hosted a podcast series - “CALLED TO INFLUENCE”. You can check out these podcasts HERE.
Please listen and share with any younger girls, youth groups or networks it could also bless.
Chloe recently wrote this BLOG on the same subject, it's worth a read for sure.
For the next 12 months, the Kyria spotlight will be on courageous women who, though largely unknown, defied the times they lived in to change their worlds.
Inspired by the book, and film, 'Hidden Figures' by Margot Lee Shetterly, Kyria wants to focus on women leaders who were massively effective in their context but whose names have been obscured through the midst of time.
We will celebrate their achievements, their grit, their abhorrence of complacency and passivity. We’re rejoicing because they were too stubborn to accept external limitations, and they chose to be deaf to the customs and cultures that told them it couldn’t be done. We are grateful that they stamped on timidity and were wise and brave enough to know that doing what they were made for, was more important than their own fears.
This month's "Hidden Figure" is written by Jenny Sanders
Jenny Sanders is an international speaker, prophetic teacher and writer. She has been involved in discipling and training Jesus-lovers across streams and denominations for over 30 years.
Her passion is, ‘to see the lights come on’ for people when they grasp the magnificence of God’s grace and the excitement of living life with Him at the helm.
She is married to Bernard with whom she adventures around the world. They have four fantastic grown-&-flown children.
This months Hidden Figure is Nora A Gordon
Click HERE to vew this months Hidden Figure
Reflective Leadership Questions
(work through this individually or in groups)
1) How can you be an oak or a willow in the face of turbulence and trial?
2). What has God asked you to sacrifice for Him?
3) You don’t need to travel to Africa to bring good news to your community. Consider how you might do this in your sphere of influence.
KYRIA is a network for women leaders to challenge, empower and release.'The name KYRIA comes from 2 John 1:1 where John refers to the 'chosen lady' who leads that church. That word is KYRIA. God is still releasing His chosen female leaders into every sphere of society and the KYRIA network has been birthed for such a time as this.Our aim is to provide an empowering environment to release women to lead in their spheres of influence
