Financially Empowered

For Good Leadership

By Tokunbo Osunbayo

I’m loving what I see, these days. Women all over the world are finding their voices, stepping out with confidence, dignity and gaining much-needed visibility.

As a woman who runs a community designed to empower women, it warms my heart to see the direction women are taking in the world today. We are truly coming into our own. However, it’s not us stepping out to dispose men but us collaborating with them to make society wholesome.

As Christian women we must confidently walk in the place that God originally designed for us at the beginning of creation. Our role is to work in harmony with men to create a better world for all. Yes, this is how I believe we as women are meant to be - for all and not for one or the other.

I know the fight for women to take our rightful place has been long and we still have a quite a way to go. But let us celebrate how far we have come and how the world is changing for us.

In this article my focus is on the Christian woman in leadership and her financial life, but I just had to celebrate our journey so far.

As Christian women our guide is God’s word, the Bible, revealing to us how we are meant to do life. Yes, the world is working hard to move us away from obeying God, but it cannot change the truth we believe.

The world promotes a focus on our independence, trying to get us to turn away from our need for God and even from men; this can be damaging to our soul, and the enemy is capitalising on this phase of womanhood dangerously.

We are aware, more women are doing better financially, and many are quite comfortable going the road alone. This is not just happening in the world but also among Christians, a strategy the enemy is again using successfully to derail God’s plan.

So, I say to all Christian women in leadership let’s not forget who we are in Christ, for we are meant to be the light of the world, like city on a hill that cannot be hidden, Matt. 5:14.

Let me share five ways a Christian woman in leadership can be a financially empowered for good:

1. Decide Who You Submit to Financially

A Christian woman in leadership must decide who she will submit to financially. Is she going to oversee her own finances or is she going to allow God to guide her?

What does it look like when God guides us financially? He will help us make good financial choices and decisions both in our personal and professional life, once we learn to hear His voice. The percentage of women who are sole breadwinners is rapidly rising and many are finding it challenging to follow the original plan of God for their lives, especially when they use the mirror of the world to determine how they live.

When a woman functions with the help of the Holy Spirit, she will find it easier to submit to the leadership of God, financially. The Proverbs 31 woman is a good role model to follow.

2. Reflect Who Christ Is

A Christian woman in leadership cannot use her position and financial status to intimidate others. The way Christ treated his disciples and people around Him is a good example of how we are to treat others, including those we lead. John 13:34 (NIV) says:

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

Jesus exhibited humility, compassion, kindness, and love wherever he went and to whoever he met; that should be how we show up daily, being empowered in the Kingdom starts with being Christlike.

3. Be A Financial Role Model

Understand that being in a leadership role makes all the difference to how we show up and behave. A Christian woman in leadership must be a role model to those she leads. She must not misappropriate money but be financially responsible in her role, whether in the home, workplace, community or in society.

A role model is not a person who has it all together but a person who lives in a way that people want to emulate. It’s important that we do not behave as if we are perfect, as no one except Christ is perfect. Let us not deceive ourselves, perfection does not make us role models.

4. The World Is Not Our Mirror

As Christian women in leadership, we must accept that the world is not the mirror of our lives. We are meant to manage our finances from a Christian perspective and not as the world does - forcing people to do our bidding, intimidating, or terrorising those we lead because we are financially well off, is not the Jesus way. Our financial empowerment is to make the world a better place. John 17:15-16 tells us that although we are in the world, we are not of the world. Let Christ be our mirror.

5. Be Generous

Christian women in leadership must be generous financially and must allow the Holy Spirit to guide their money. Our generosity cannot be for showmanship. The motive behind our generosity counts a great deal in the God’s Kingdom. Only the generous person knows the motive of their generosity.

When we make our finances available to God, he can use us to do wonderful things and that is the true meaning of being Christlike, for the good of all.

In conclusion, Christian women in leadership are ‘empowered to empower.’ We are Christ’s ambassadors, and we must see it as a privilege to serve God financially. I must say it has been the greatest decision of my life to hand over to God, financially and I believe you can do the same too, if you haven’t already.

Tokunbo Osunbayo is a Christian, Mother, Widow, Empowerment Life Guide and Event Host who loves to inspire, motivate, educate and connect people. She trained as a Business Administrator, Budget Coach, Debt Specialist and Information & Guidance Advisor. She also has qualifications in Conflict Management and Safeguarding. She has written 2 children’s books on Money. As an Event Host she runs online and offline Christian, Life and Business events. She resides in London, UK with her family. Visit www.tokunboosunbayo.com for more information.