My dog pulls when I walk him. He drags me along rather than allowing me to lead him with ease. He’s determined to go his own way, and, too often, I am merely trying to keep up. But by the end of the walk, when he is tired and content, the leash loosens. He walks beside me, no longer resisting. It is a delight to lead him then. I thought of this when I read Hebrews 13:7 –
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
I like to think I am a joy to lead. Outwardly, I strive for unity. I don’t create division. I follow instructions. I don’t make waves. But God, who sees beyond the surface, has been gently pressing into my heart: Are you submitting with joy or merely complying?
If I am honest, the answer is not always what it should be. I obey, but my heart often resists. Grumbling brews beneath the surface. I comply, but with an inward sigh, with a silent critique, with a spirit that is not fully surrendered. And yet, God repeatedly communicates in Scripture that He is more concerned with the heart than with mere external actions.
“For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV)
Am I like the dog at the start of the walk—complying, but with resistance? Or am I like the dog at the end—yielded, at peace, making their leadership a joy? The way I submit matters. I should be a joy to lead. Not just outwardly, but inwardly. Not just in behavior, but in spirit.
Lord, help me to submit with joy, not just in action but in heart. May I not be a strain on the leaders You have placed over me, but a source of encouragement and peace. Teach me to walk with a heart that is yielded, trusting You in all things. Amen.