Great leaders have many different characteristics and capabilities, some unique to their circumstances and the needs of the organizations they lead. But one characteristic that is essential for a Christlike leader is a deep love for the people they serve.
The Restoration began with Joseph Smith twice pleading for forgiveness and receiving a remission of his sins. (See Doctrine and Covenants 20:5-6.) God not only forgave him but also gave him opportunities to serve. (See Doctrine and Covenants 20:7.) Joseph took these invitations to heart and developed a deep desire for the eternal welfare of all people. On the day The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized, he received a revelation in which the Lord described him in these terms:
Him have I inspired to move the cause of Zion in mighty power for good, and his diligence I know, and his prayers I have heard.
Yea, his weeping for Zion I have seen, and I will cause that he shall mourn for her no longer; for his days of rejoicing are come unto the remission of his sins, and the manifestations of my blessings upon his works.
Doctrine and Covenants 21:7-8
Like Enos, Joseph’s own experience with having his sins “swept away” led to a profound “desire for the welfare of [his brothers and sisters].” (See Enos 1:6-9.) Like Lehi, who prayed “with all of his heart, in behalf of his people” (1 Nephi 1:5), and like Alma, who “labored much in the spirit, wrestling with God in mighty prayer, that he would pour our his Spirit” upon the people of Ammonihah (Alma 8:10), Joseph’s desire to establish Zion motivated him to pray diligently and with profound emotion. God recognized those prayers and identified them as a key reason for calling Joseph to reestablish His church and to serve as its first elder.
Today, I will be grateful for leaders who “weep for Zion,” who love the people they serve and pray diligently for them. I will strive to follow their examples, offering heartfelt prayers on behalf of others.
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