Leaders don't create followers, they create more leaders. Elijah found Elisha and commissioned him to ministry when Elisha was at work. “Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him” (1 Kings 19:19).
The mantle was the symbol of Elijah's prophetic authority. This was a dramatic symbol that said, "I call upon you to join in my work as a prophet." Elijah's reply indicates that he himself had not called Elisha; it was God's call whether Elisha would follow that call was his own decision.
This demonstrated Elisha's complete commitment to following Elijah. He destroyed the tools of his trade in a going away party for his family and friends. Elisha must have had a considerable estate, when he kept twelve yoke of oxen to till the ground. If, therefore, he obeyed the prophetic call, he did it to considerable secular loss.
Hereby he showed how willingly and joyfully he forsook all his friends that he might serve God in that high and honourable employment. Every man with an idea has at least two or three followers; every leader has to look back once in a while to make sure they have followers.
God usually calls people as they are busy doing something. Jesus called the apostles (Matthew 4:18-22)as they were casting a net into the sea or mending their nets. "They were busy in a lawful occupation when he called them to be ministers: our Lord does not call idlers but fishers."
0 Comments