I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus. I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ. Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people. 
Philemon 4-7

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The letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to Philemon is fascinating. Although just 482 words (25 verses), it is a nuanced appeal from one church member to another in hopes of restoring the relationship between Philemon and his runaway slave, Onesimus. But not as master-slave because both Philemon and Onesimus converted to following Jesus during their rift. Paul seeks to restore the two by reframing the relationship from master and slave to two brothers in Christ. It seems to me that Paul put a lot of prayer into his letter to Philemon. 

Good leaders follow Paul’s example by literally leading with prayer. This got me reflecting on my own life over the past 30 years. Although not a leader in any formal sense of the word except with my family, I am indeed an influencer, as are you. 

Thanks to following Jesus, one of the habits I have developed is to pray often for the relationships and situations in my daily life. Praying with God about people and situations usually increases my positive influence on others, whether at home, work, or church gatherings.

Another thing that shines through this letter is Paul’s servant leadership. Servant leadership has become a buzzword in the church and in business, but do not let that diminish its transformative power. Jesus modeled and required this type of leadership, the most famous example being when He, the Rabbi, lowered Himself to wash His disciples’ feet. After his conversion, Paul grew into a servant leader. It is one of the key reasons the Church we belong to got started and persisted despite horrific persecution for a couple hundred years. Learning to serve others, especially fellow Christians, as a true family is an important life lesson.

Next Steps

Take a few minutes to ask God to show you how you can serve others in love. This includes how you handle issues in the home and workplace. And ask Him to show you what you are doing well already.

I found this article to be informative. The only thing missing on the list of characteristics is: Prayer.