Skip to main content

IN HIS FOOTSTEPS: Leadership and Risk-Taking

During a Mission in Kit
A Guide to Effective Leadership

Devotion 12. July 12, 2025

Matthew 14:22-33 

One of the challenging truths about leadership is risk-taking. Consider a risk you have faced. How did it influence your decisions as a leader? Are you aware that effective leadership often requires taking risks? Risk-taking in leadership reflects a leader’s faith. Like Jesus, who left all the glory and comfort of heaven and descended into the grave, only to be lifted, leadership involves stepping into the unknown. 

A Lesson from Peter's Experience

In His example, Jesus demonstrated the importance of risk-taking by warning Peter and encouraging him to cast aside doubt and build faith to confront risks. “...O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” 14:31. Building on this, it is clear that risk-taking shapes our leadership skills, as it is founded on the power of faith. Peter took a risk to meet Jesus in a stormy sea to prove if he was the one. Soon, he wavered with fear and sank, only to be rescued by Jesus. Peter's risk-taking lacked faith, and therefore, Jesus challenged him. Leaders should take risks boldly in every circumstance with faith. 

A Personal Experience

Similarly, in one of our evangelism missions, we had no money to hire additional vans, but as leaders, we took the risk since a large number of people wanted to participate. Our only van transported a few members, but miraculously, we received three more vans that accommodated everyone. As a result of our hopeful prayers, everyone was able to participate in the three-day mission. 

The Benefits of Risk-Taking

As a result, when leaders take risks, it helps them lead with confidence and build trust in the people they lead. By stepping out in faith, leaders can trust God’s sovereignty and divine help in times when they feel defeated. This, in turn, will inspire those they lead. 

A Call to Action

With this in mind, think about a beneficial project that requires confronting the risks of life. How would you convince yourself or church members to participate in it? What different things will you do if it requires taking risks to approach a dictatorial leader? Jesus accepted risks and laid down his life for us. Can you compromise your life or family time for the sake of the suffering orphans in the streets? 

Conclusion

In conclusion, risk-taking is an essential part of leadership, grounded in faith. This helps leaders to lead with confidence and trust God’s sovereignty and provisions. As you lead, remember to take bold steps, not like doubting Peter, to confront risks with even the little faith you have. God will help you. 

Prayer.

Dear God, I am imperfect and always frail when faced with risks. Help me today to take risks as Jesus demonstrated to perfect my leadership. Let me trust in Your sovereignty when my faith wavers like Peter’s. Amen. 

May this prayer be part of you to remind you about the importance of risk-taking in leadership, and may you find the courage and seek God's wisdom to confront every risk so that you may inspire others to value taking risks as part of effective leadership.


Ayella John Bosco

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Open Letter to the Governor of Eastern Equatoria State

02-08-2026 His Excellency Louis Lobong Lojore Governor, Eastern Equatoria State Subject: Urgent Appeal for the Immediate Removal of Cattle from Magwi County, Particularly the Nimule Area Your Excellency, I write to you as a concerned citizen regarding the continued presence of thousands of cattle in Magwi County, particularly in and around the Nimule area. This situation demands your urgent attention and intervention. In the recent past, government authorities, local leaders, and communities agreed that the presence of cattle in Magwi County is unacceptable. This position is consistent with the Presidential directive ordering all cattle to return to their areas of origin. Despite this clear directive, many cattle keepers, particularly from Bor, continue to disregard the order and have returned with large herds into the county. Today, thousands of cattle are moving freely in the Nimule area and occupying locations less than ten kilometres from Nimule Municipality. We are all aware of t...
Post a Comment
Read more

UNMASKING THE RED BELT: Community Defense or Security Threats

WHY IS EQUATORIA MENTIONED? September 2, 2025 Many South Sudanese tribes have vigilante groups, particularly in cattle-keeping communities. Based on their mandates, it is clear that each group aims to protect and defend its community from neighbouring raiders. Communities like the Dinka, Nuer, and Murle have such groups, and their long-standing conflicts over resources suggest this is a survival mechanism. From my experience, South Sudan's community insecurity worsened in 2017 when the economy collapsed due to unresolved civil conflicts. Youths formed groups with different names, such as the Toronto, West Coasts, Black Mambas, and Invincible Scorpions, in Juba and other major cities. In Nimule, many of these youths brought ideas from Juba's Sherikat suburb after escaping arrest or internal disputes. Today, gangs are widespread in major towns and cities.   Recently, the Red Belt group emerged in Bor, disrupting a peaceful tournament and attacking the National Security Servic...
Post a Comment
Read more

DO NOT JOIN STAR INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY MAGWI CAMPUS UNTIL IT FULLY ESTABLISHES ITS OWN STUDY CENTRE

Between 2017 and 2019, I wrote several articles about the fraudulent practices of Kampala University. Those who were its students were aggressively defensive, only to concede later. This happened after the Ministry of Higher Education declared the university illegal. Although the students pursued a legal case against the university, they sadly lost. Education is a right for everyone, but a learning institution should provide quality and legitimate services to the public. In South Sudan, several universities and colleges are operating illegally and exploiting poor students. On 22 June 2026, Star International University (SIU) launched one of its campuses in Magwi Payam, making it the second campus after the Nimule campus, which was established around 2021–2022. Accordingly, this could be the third campus in Eastern Equatoria, including the Torit campus. Such rapid expansion raises serious questions about the credibility of the university. A credible learning institution cannot spread i...
2 comments
Read more