Love as your winning strategy

                 By Bayo Ogunmupe.

       If your struggle for success in life is inspired by love, you are bound to win because  love never fails. "Love never fails, I Corinthians 13:8." Interestingly, money doesn't bring happiness; fame doesn't bring self worth and revenge doesn't bring satisfaction. Only love never fails. When Mother Teresa addressed world leaders at  the United Nations, she was asked, "How can we have world peace?" She replied, "Go home and love your family."
       If we all did that, Paradise that was lost will be regained. Napoleon Bonaparte's intellectual greatness and intensive egotism make his tribute to the supremacy of leadership by love, all the more striking. He said, "Alexander the great, Caesar and Charlemagne and I myself founded great empires, but upon what did the creations of our genius depend? Upon force. Jesus alone founded his empire upon love, and to this day millions would die for him."
       Often, leaders are mere power holders. Since you cannot love others without making yourself vulnerable, they see expressing love as a weakness. But actually you can't love and keep all of your options open. To truly love your spouse, your children or your followers, you must give of yourself unreservedly that you can be hurt and be rejected. The fundamental principle upon which power holders operate is to protect themselves and their property. Whereas, the cardinal principle of leadership  is to give of yourself without restriction whatsoever.
       Love as an attribute of leadership seems now outmoded. Yet according to the scriptures, love  is the strategy by which you can attain your wishes. Indeed, "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind, 2 Timothy 1:7." But the love talked about in the bible isn't the sentimental type. The scriptural love is compassion, caring and concern for the well-being of another. This love is based on commitment, not convenience. It is an act of your will not emotion. If you love only those who love you, where comes the credit? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get the credit? Luke 6:32,33."
       Loving is the hardest thing you will ever do. Love your enemies. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and then you will be like the children of the Most High, for He is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. You must be compassionate, just as your father is compassionate. Do not judge others and you will not be judged. Give and you will receive.
       Do not condemn others or it will all come back against you. Forgive others and you will be forgiven. Give and your gift will return to you in full- pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.
       The critic of Jesus the christ asked him, "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law? Matthew22:37." Jesus' answer is a timely reminder to leader and follower alike. This reminds those worshippers who sit on pews and those who stand at the pulpit, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment: Matthew 22:37, 38." As a leader you must never leave a question in anyone's mind as to who is God. "You shall have no other gods before Me." Exodus 20:3.
       Though we must teach people to respect, honour and reward good leadership, but the Christlike leader discourages adulation and shies away from the limelight. Only when a leader becomes impervious to applause and approval and dies to ego, is God glorified in his or her leadership. Indeed, when God is exalted is when a leader smiles  and says,Thank you, Lord, that is how You intended it. Upon all Jehovah is your friend, you must be grateful and loyal to Him.