Future Voices is a recurring column that gives young writers a chance to share their thoughts on leadership, faith, and the world around them. This column was written by a seventh-grade student.
Fear and respect are two very different ways leaders can lead. I won’t get into why I am inspired to write about this, but let’s just say that I observe a lot in my world. Some leaders use fear to control people, while others lead in a way that earns respect and trust from the inside out.
A clear example of fear-based leadership is Adolf Hitler. He used fear to gain power and convince people to do terrible things. Many people followed him not because they believed in goodness or truth, but because they were afraid of what would happen if they didn’t obey. Fear kept people in line, but it did not make them better.
Jesus Christ led in a completely different way. Jesus was a servant leader. He washed the feet of His disciples, taught them, and loved them deeply. People followed Jesus not because they were scared of Him, but because they believed in Him and His mission. He inspired people to change their hearts, not just their actions.
When I compare these two very different leaders, it makes me ask myself: Who would I want to follow? I know my answer. I would choose a servant leader like Jesus, who leads with love and purpose, not fear.
Leaders who use fear are usually distant from the people they lead. Their goal is often power, control, or personal gain. Leaders who lead with respect and service usually care about the people who follow them and work toward something that benefits everyone, not just themselves.
God asks us to be servant leaders and to serve others instead of ruling over them, but that gets harder with large organizations. Jesus showed us how to do this through humility, empathy, and love. But something that is harder to understand is this: Jesus was not always gentle in the way people expect.
There were moments when Jesus became angry. One example is when He flipped tables in the temple because people were turning a sacred place into something dishonest and greedy. That moment can feel confusing. Was Jesus being scary? Was He being angry? Or was He setting a boundary?
I think this shows that even perfect love sometimes has to say, “Enough is enough.” Jesus didn’t use fear to control people, but He also didn’t allow wrongdoing to continue just to keep the peace. He stood firm when it mattered most.
This is where leadership gets hard for me, because it’s not as clear as math. There is a lot of gray. I imagine that some people were scared when Jesus acted that way, but maybe they also understood that He was protecting something important.
Some of the best leaders today still try to lead like Jesus. They inspire people from the inside out because others believe in the leader and the mission. But even Christ-centered leaders will face fear-driven leaders and followers throughout their lives. When that happens, they have to learn how to set firm boundaries without losing love or purpose.
I hope that in my future life I can find that balance….to lead with love, humility, and service, but also to know when it is right to stand firm, even if it makes people uncomfortable for a moment.
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About Future Voices
Future Voices is a Sunday-morning column in The Dallas Express in which young Texans share how faith and perseverance shape their lives. These stories remind readers that God often speaks through the honesty and courage of the next generation.
