Dear young friend:
It is no small thing to step into the role of leadership in the kingdom of God! As Obi Wan Kenobi once said, you are taking your first step into a wider world.
You are taking on responsibilities both within the local church and in other places, and I commend you for your willingness to serve!
There is a quiet courage in choosing to lead, not for the sake of recognition, but out of a heart that desires to build up God’s people and serve where you are called. I am grateful to see you embrace this call with both humility and dedication.
I am also deeply encouraged to hear of the victories you’ve experienced in your own battles. You’ve faced down struggles that many would prefer to hide or ignore, and you’ve come through them stronger and wiser with a willingness to openly share with others what God has done in your life!
But here is where I must issue a word of warning: these very areas of victory are often the ones that the enemy loves to target most fiercely.
The devil, being the millitary strategist that he is, knows that the places where you have found freedom are the places where he ought to strike with renewed force.
Stepping into leadership, dedicating your life to the service of the Lord, inevitably puts a target on your back.
When you choose to serve, you become a threat to the kingdom of darkness. The enemy sees the potential you have to build up God’s kingdom and to tear down his own, and he does not sit idly by.
This is not a reason to fear, but it is a reason to stay vigilant. Remember, the enemy does not attack where there is no threat. So take this as both a warning and a compliment: the opposition you face is evidence that you are moving in the right direction!
In your journey of leadership and service, I want to share a word of insight from a book that profoundly impacted me — With by Skye Jethani. I highly reccomend it.
In it, Jethani describes several ways people often relate to God: some live under God, others over Him, some from Him, and others for Him. I have a suspicion, dear disciple, that you might share my own struggle in this area — living for God.
You may ask… isn’t living for God a good thing? Certainly! However, as Jethani points out in his book, God created us not just to do things for Him, but to live life together with Him!
You see, there is a temptation in leadership to find our identity and our worth in what we do for God rather than who we are in Him.
I know this struggle all too well. It’s all too easy to feel closest to God after I’ve done something for Him — when I’ve preached a sermon, completed a ministry project, or served someone in need.
But here is the painful truth I’ve come to learn: I often find it hard to simply rest in the knowledge that I am His son. My heart seems conditioned to believe that my value lies in my service, not in my sonship.
But this is not the way of the kingdom. The heart of God is not moved by our service; it is moved by His relationship with us.
You are a chosen son of God, and His love for you does not waver based on what you do or do not accomplish. Yes, God delights in seeing you serve Him faithfully. He takes joy in your obedience and your dedication.
But His pride in you is not rooted in your actions; it is rooted in your belonging.
I think of my own son, Jack Harrison Salvato, who is only three years old at this time! As his dad, I am delighted when he is kind to his mom, or when he helps clean up his toys. These are good things, and they bring me joy.
But my love for him does not increase when he is behaving well, nor does it diminish when he is having a rough day and acting out like a little tornado.
I love him just as much when he is throwing a temper tantrum as when he is showing kindness. I love him when he is sleeping, when he is playing in the dirt, or even when he is simply sitting quietly, watching cartoons. My love for him is not based on his service to me; it is based on my relationship with him.
In the same way, dear young disciple, God’s love for you is not contingent upon your service. He loves you when you are pouring yourself out in ministry, but He loves you just as much when you are resting, when you are tending to your daily tasks, or when you are simply existing in His presence.
His pride in you is not a reward for your accomplishments; it is a reflection of His heart as your Father.
As you step into leadership, I hope and pray that you continue to discover this truth — one that I myself am still growing in.
Let your service be an outflow of your relationship with God, not a substitute for it. And remember that even if all your efforts seem small, and even if your victories feel fragile, they are precious in His sight because they are the fruit of a life that belongs to Him.
So walk forward with confidence, knowing that you are not defined by what you do, but by who you are — a beloved son of the King.
Serve faithfully, yes, but never forget to rest in His love.
It is in that rest that you will find the strength to endure whatever challenges come your way.
Yours in the Journey of Sonship,
Aaron
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Sermon On The Mount Meditation:
After reading the letter, I want you to meditate on Matthew 6:26:
“Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”
In your journey of stepping into leadership and service, remember that your worth is not based on what you do, but on who you are to God — a beloved son.
Just as God cares for the smallest of creatures, He cares for you in every moment, whether you are serving faithfully or resting quietly.
Meditate on this verse and let it remind you of your Father’s constant and unchanging love.
Letter to a Young Disciple Stepping into Leadership was originally published in GoodLion Theology on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
