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Know, Go, Show!
Know, Go, Show!
John Maxwell, famous for writing over 100 leadership books and hosting hundreds of leadership conferences, defined leadership this way: “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” That’s Ezra! Before he came to Jerusalem, it says, “Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord [know, B.M.] and to practice it [go], and to teach His statues and ordinances in Israel [show].” (Ezra 7:10). He knew the way of God by studying Scripture! He went the way of God by living Scripture (Ezra 9:5f), and he showed the way of God by teaching Scripture (Nehemiah 8:2)!
In a sense, Bible study is an act of private, personal devotion. But the goal of Bible study should never just be private and personal. Bible study helps us become strong spiritual leaders like Ezra, people who can go and show because we know. If we don’t know the way, we can’t go the way, and if we can’t go the way, we can’t show the way! May we, like Ezra, “set our hearts” to use our private study to make a public impact in our families, in the community, and in the church!
