No Place to Hide – SummitLife Today: Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Sin separates. Life and leadership are all about relationships. Our relationship with God and our relationship with others frame the great commandment to love God and love others. The world, our flesh and the Devil are working against us in this area. Selfish ambition, lust, gossip, greed and pride are just a few of the many sins that will separate us from the most important relationships in our lives. It is hard to restore trust when it has been broken, so we often find it so much easier to seek a “hiding place” where we can avoid the awkwardness caused by our sin. This pattern was established very early on in the history of the human race.
When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. (Genesis 3:8 NLT)
The most enjoyable times in life can be stolen away by the consequences of sin. Adam and Eve should have been enjoying fellowship with their Creator in the best time of the day but instead were avoiding Him. Their sin had separated them from the One who loved them the most. The Lord however did not allow them to hide from Him. Because of His love and grace, He pursued them. There was no place to hide.
There are two key lessons for Christian leaders that we can gain from this passage. The first is to humbly acknowledge how vulnerable we each are to sin and to be intentional about walking with the Lord each day. The second is for us to determine ahead of time how to reflect the grace and love of the Lord in how we treat those who have sinned against us. If someone on your team or in your family was to do something to harm their relationship with you, how would you respond with grace and love? The guilt of sin will cause the person to seek cover and want to hide from you. Would you be willing to relentlessly pursue them in grace and love?
The sinner bears the consequences of their sin. Grace and love are not designed to remove consequences. They are the tools of redemption and restoration. They accept what is broken and seek to make it whole again. As a leader, it is your job to rise above the circumstances in order to bring hope to a seemingly hopeless situation.
Let me encourage you today to think about your “disaster plan” for dealing with broken relationships caused by sin. Paul tells us that we are to “forgive as Christ forgave us”. Have a “No Place to Hide” approach toward those who sin against you and pursue them with grace and love. Trust God to redeem and restore that which is broken…He does that very well.
“Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place.” ~ Zora Neale Hurston
Willingness to Go – SummitLife Today: Friday, December 14, 2012
Leaders go first. That just comes with being a leader. It’s risky, it’s uncertain but somebody has to step up and that’s what leaders do. In the Old Testament there is a wonderful account of God needing someone to step up and be His spokesperson to the nation of Israel at a very difficult time in their history. Isaiah heard the call and seized the opportunity to step up and go first.
Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me.” (Isaiah 6:8 NLT)
When willingness meets opportunity, great things can happen. However, it’s seldom easy. Going first means you are blazing the trail into unknown territory. The reward is the fulfillment of breaking through and seeing God do His work through you. Isaiah’s was proclaiming a message of hope about the coming Messiah. Lives were changed because Isaiah stepped up.
What opportunities do you have in your life and leadership today? God has uniquely positioned you as a person of influence within your family, your organization and your community. Imagine Him saying to you: “We have this great opportunity, who do you think I could get to step up a lead?” Don’t be like the room full of high school students who avoid eye contact when the teacher asks a question like this. Step up, go first, say “here am I, send me.”
Know this, it won’t be easy. If it were easy, someone else would have already done it. It takes a lot of courage and faith to say “here I am, send me”…especially when you are not very sure about what you are signing up for. As a leader, always be preparing your inner circle of team members for times like this. They will be your advisors, your support system and your helpers. You can’t do it alone; you may go first but you’ll need others to be close behind on the journey with you.
Leaders see sooner and further than others. Leaders have a vision of what’s possible in the future. Not everyone thinks this way. As a Christian leader, God will often stir the vision in your heart before He reveals the opportunity. When the opportunity is presented, your heart has already been prepared to pursue it. Your passion will already be ignited and you will be drawn to the cause. Always be ready to go first when the assignment matches your passion.
Take time today to first look inside. What passions and interests has God stirred in your heart? Now, look for opportunities that align with that passion to use your gifts, talents and resources to make a difference that matters in the lives of others. Be willing to go first!
“Everybody wants to do something to help, but nobody wants to be the first.” ~ Pearl Bailey
Women of Influence – SummitLife Today: Thursday, December 12, 2012
Women of influence need to be celebrated! Throughout the centuries and even the millenniums, men have dominated the leadership roles in most cultures. If we are to truly accept the premise that “leadership is influence”, we can’t ignore all the women of influence who have shaped history…not to mention those who have shaped our lives. The Apostle Paul had a woman of influence who was instrumental in helping him start the church at Philippi. Her little prayer meeting down by the river became one of the leading congregations of the early church.
On the Sabbath we went a little way outside the city to a riverbank, where we thought people would be meeting for prayer, and we sat down to speak with some women who had gathered there. One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying. She was baptized along with other members of her household, and she asked us to be her guests. “If you agree that I am a true believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my home.” And she urged us until we agreed. (Acts 16:13-15 NLT)
Lydia was a sales woman and she used her talents to persuade Paul and Silas to stay at Philippi to teach her and her friends more about Jesus. They couldn’t resist. Lydia already had a small group of women she was leading by faith. She was in search of God and as a leader, took others with her on her journey. The Bible doesn’t tell us what Lydia did with her newfound faith, but I like to think she would have taken advantage of being a business woman on a major trade route. I imagine Lydia sharing her faith with vendors from all over the known world who made their way to Philippi.
For the women reading this, what unique platform has God given you to influence others? Are you making the most of the opportunity God has given you? For the men reading this, have you celebrated the women of influence in your life? If you are like me, you wouldn’t be where you are today without the influence of the great women God has placed in your life.
Take time today to celebrate the women of influence in your life and in your organization. Let them know what you’ve learned from them and how it has impacted your life and leadership. It’s far too easy to get consumed by performing the tasks that demand our time and attention. Stop! Look around you, celebrate the women who have blessed you and encouraged you along the way.
“The will of God for your life is simply that you submit yourself to Him each day and say, ‘Father, Your will for today is mine…You lead me today and I will follow.’” ~ Kay Arthur
Freedom Rules – SummitLife Today: Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Freedom requires responsibility. Some people use freedom wisely while others don’t. Any college student can testify to the fact that there is a fine line between “Freedom” and “Free to be dumb”. Freedom can be easily abused. Organizations with healthy and productive cultures are organizations where “freedom rules”. In order to help the Galatians avoid pitfalls and make the most of their freedom in Christ, Paul wrote down some practical “freedom rules” to help guide them.
For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another. (Galatians 5:13-15 NLT)
Selfish people will abuse freedom to take advantage of others. Because of these abuses, some organizations and even countries take measures to control their people rather than accept the risks that freedom may bring. Controlled cultures however are not healthy cultures. To be at their best, people need freedom. For freedom to be at its best, people need standards to guide them. As Christian leaders, we must first understand and appreciate our freedom in Christ if we are to lead our team with a sense of that same freedom from legalism and control.
Freedom has its greatest impact when shared among people who put others first. Paul says that the best way to use our freedom is to “serve one another in love”. The first rule of freedom is to have a culture that is based on love. In his book “Love Works”, Joel Manby explains how the seven timeless principles of love described in 1 Corinthians Chapter 13 can be applied to the culture of any business or organization. If we apply these seven principles of being patient, kind, trusting, unselfish, truthful, forgiving and dedicated to each other in love, freedom rules!
Freedom motivates and inspires people to greatness. People who are free to innovate and make suggestions that improve processes or procedures add value to organizations. In healthy cultures, team members are trusted to do what’s best for the team. Mutual trust is a key factor in free cultures where people don’t have to succumb to constant control and red tape.
Finally, as Christian leaders, creating a culture of freedom with the proper guidelines in place will improve relationships and morale within your organization. To truly make a difference in someone’s life, they have to feel valued by you. Take time today to evaluate your “freedom rules” to see if you are providing the proper framework to build mutual trust. Great and lasting success is only possible where freedom rules.
“Freedom is a package deal… with it comes responsibilities and consequences.” ~ Walter Cronkite
Real Power – SummitLife Today: Tuesday, December 11, 2012
“Counterintuitive” is a good word for a Christian leader. Jesus taught “the first will be last and the last will be first” and that becoming a servant is essential to leadership. In most cultures, leadership is often inaccurately defined in terms of position and power. People assume that a leader must always be at the top, fully in charge, and that a leader should never show weakness. A lot of leaders buy into this idea and in time, begin to use their position and power inappropriately. Solomon writes: “Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom”. (Proverbs 11:2 NLT) God has a different way of empowering leaders. It’s counterintuitive to our way of thinking, but it is the source of real power.
“Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.”(2 Corinthians 12:8-9 NLT)
Paul never revealed what this recurring difficulty was in his life that weakened him. I think he did that on purpose so we could “fill in the blank” with whatever our recurring challenge might be. For Helen Keller it was blindness. For Nelson Mandela it was imprisonment. For Martin Luther King Jr. it was racism. For King George the VI of Great Britton it was stuttering. All of these leaders became strong not only in spite of their weakness but in some strange way they became strong through their weakness.
What is your weakness? (For me it’s plural; weaknesses). It may be a physical, social or emotional limitation. It could also be the tendency to be entrapped by a recurring sin. For Paul, it was a big deal. He begged God three times to take it away. God however wanted to teach Paul something about real power.
“Real Power” is when God shows up in the midst of our weakness and does His work in a way that can only be attributed to Him. Jesus told his disciples “apart from me you can do nothing“. God has given us the Holy Spirit as His power source working in and through us. We have nothing to boast about in our own strength but everything to boast about in His.
Humility is the key. It’s counterintuitive. As Christian leaders, when we humbly admit our weaknesses and turn everyone’s attention to God’s power, His grace shines! God said to Paul: “My power works best in weakness.”
It’s not about you…it’s about Him. When God’s strength shows up in the midst of our weakness, it’s His grace at work redeeming our weakness for His glory. Let me encourage you to confess and commit your weaknesses to God today. Ask Him to demonstrate His real power through you.
“The greatest weakness of all is the great fear of appearing weak.”~ Jacques Benigne Bossuel
Life is good when lived on purpose. What is your purpose as a leader? When your passions and abilities are properly aligned with your purpose you will discover your “sweet spot” for fulfillment in life. You were created to make a difference and have been uniquely gifted to do so. God created you to do great things but designed you so you can’t do them alone. When you find your “sweet spot” and connect with other people who have “sweet spots” that compliment yours, the impact of what you can do together is huge! Here’s what Paul had to say about God’s design in it all:
There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. (1 Corinthians 12:4-7 NLT)
Take note of the “purpose statement” at the end of this passage: “so we can help each other”. This passage goes on to illustrate how we help each other by making a comparison with how individual parts of our bodies function so well together. Just think about the simple act of throwing a ball. How many parts of your body have to work together in just the right way to make that happen?
Life is even better when lived on purpose together. Take a look around you and you will find people who have different gifts and abilities than you do. You need each other. No one is complete in and of themselves; we need other people to complete us. Just think about the impact you could have on the world around you if you were intentionally connected with other people whose gifts and abilities complimented yours. Just like in the illustration of throwing a ball, it takes a lot of people working properly together in order to be successful.
As a Christian leader, your role in bringing the right people together and aligning them in a unified purpose is at the heart of God’s design for you. Help each team member see how working together in a coordinated effort of “helping each other” can accomplish so much more than trying to do it alone. Have them celebrate small successes along the way that illustrate the benefits of a unified team.
Take time today to compliment your team members on specific strengths and abilities that they bring to your organization. Tell them why you are better because of them and thank them for what they bring to the team. People don’t often complain about getting too much appreciation or encouragement. Tell them what they’re good at and watch them smile.
“Hide not your talents, they for use were made. What’s a sundial in the shade?” ~ Benjamin Franklin
Mutual Mentoring – SummitLife Today: Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Two things that are always true about good leaders are: “Leaders are learners” and “Leaders can’t help themselves but to help other people.” This is very evident when a leader begins the mentoring process with a young leader. It is never a one-way deal because both are learners and both want to help other people. This is a natural affinity that draws leaders together. I call this “Mutual Mentoring”. Both parties are learning from and helping each other. The Apostle Paul is an example of this.
For I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord. When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. (Romans 1:11-12 NLT)
Mentoring is a risky deal. Only confident and secure leaders mentor younger leaders. The process of mentoring allows someone else to observe our habits and practices, both good and bad. Leadership is complex and at times the responsibilities are overwhelming. Leaders are not always on their “’A’ game” and can find themselves failing to practice what they preach. There are days that I look in the mirror and say: “You are a lousy leader”.
I like letting young leaders observe both my good days and my bad days as a leader. I let them know they are going to have good days and bad days, too. The young leaders I mentor help me through my bad days…that’s what leaders do. We walk through life and leadership together, learning and lifting as we go. Mutual mentoring brings mutual growth.
Mentoring keeps me sharp and gives me energy. I love working with younger leaders. I learn amazing things from them and they challenge the way I think and dream. In most cases young leaders don’t have much to lose, so they just go after their dreams with gusto and boldness. As we get older and more established, we have so much more at risk if the pursuit of our dream fails. This is where young leaders stretch my faith. Considering what I might lose should never keep me from being obedient to what God is calling me to do.
Let me encourage you to seek out mutual mentoring relationships with both older and younger leaders. Iron sharpens iron. What you read and who you spend time with will do more to shape the impact of your leadership than anything else. Read God’s word, read great books, spend time with the Lord, and hang out with established leaders and potential leaders and you will stay sharp.
Mutual mentoring has mutual benefits now that also extend into the next generation of leaders. Take time today to identify those leaders and potential leaders that God has brought into your life. Just simply take the time to experience the ups and downs of life and leadership together.
“Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction.” ~ John C. Crosby
Making the Tough Calls – SummitLife Today: Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Not every decision is clear cut. As leaders, we are often left to make the tough calls. It can be much like a big league umpire calling a low pitch near the corner of the plate. It has to be called. The game can’t go on until it is. A lot of people will agree with the decision and a lot of people won’t. It’s just a tough call. The Apostles faced one of these tough calls very early in their leadership of the church.
So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they all prayed, “O Lord, you know every heart. Show us which of these men you have chosen as an apostle to replace Judas in this ministry, …” Then they cast lots, and Matthias was selected to become an apostle with the other eleven. (Acts 1:23-26)
They basically replaced Judas with the “flip of a coin”. No doubt, this was not only a tough call but a very important call. The one principle that is a foundational in this passage is the prayerful recognition of God’s sovereignty over the situation: “O Lord, you know every heart. Show us which of these men you have chosen…” God knew the answer. All the Apostles had to do was to align their thinking with what God wanted and trust Him to direct their decision to that end.
When making tough calls, always place your trust in God’s faithfulness and not in how good your decision making process is. In many respects, the Apostles had a questionable process in how they made their tough call. They flipped a coin in order to make a very important decision. Their faith however was not in how good their process was but rather in God’s ability to direct them to the right man through His control of the situation. No matter how out of control something may seem to us, it is never out of God’s control. This is a truth leaders must trust.
There was much more to their process however than just the flip of a coin. These two “finalists” had been nominated by the group. Either man was probably well qualified for the position, but they could only appoint one. Secondly, they were unified in their process and how they made the decision. Simple recognition of God’s hand in the situation will bring confidence and peace to the process.
Tough decisions are coming. Be prepared by taking time today to think through how you might employ the basic principles from this passage to the tough calls you will have to make. Always involve trusted advisors. Pray over your decision and trust God’s faithfulness more than your process. Make the best decision with what you know and have faith in God to direct you along the way.
“We can try to avoid making choices by doing nothing, but even that is a decision.” ~ Gary Collins
Unlikely Leaders – SummitLife Today: December 3, 2012
Leadership is influence. Always be aware of people who have influence within your organization or the group you may be working with. There are often “unlikely leaders” lurking in the shadows. These are men and women who don’t have a recognized leadership position. They may not even “look” like a leader, but they have tremendous influence among their peers. You want to be sure to recruit them for your cause and tap into their influence. A great example of an “unlikely leader” comes from the story of the woman at the well:
The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?” So the people came streaming from the village to see him. Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, “He told me everything I ever did!” When they came out to see him, they begged him to stay in their village. So he stayed for two days, long enough for many more to hear his message and believe. Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world.” (from John 4:4-42 NLT)
The testimony of this woman moved her entire village to respond. The passage says “the people came streaming from the village to see him.” That is influence! In the culture of that day, being a Samaritan woman was about as low a status in society as you could get. Jesus, however, knew all about her and the potential she had to influence so many people. She didn’t have a leadership position as mayor of her village. She certainly didn’t have a great reputation as the “Mother Teresa” of her town. She had no position of authority or social status that would cause her to be identified as a leader. This “unlikely leader” however, was used by Jesus to draw many to him and their lives were changed forever.
“Unlikely leaders” have influence because they win the hearts of people. They influence others because they connect with them in some unique way. For this woman Jesus met at the well, the evident change in her life and her enthusiasm for sharing her story won the hearts of her village. Faithful and dependable workers, who quietly do their job well, will often have influence among their peers. People who overcome extremely difficult circumstances will often win the hearts of people. Genuine servants also have great influence.
Look for “unlikely leaders” in your organization today. Recruiting them to help you accomplish your mission would be wise move.
“Because everything we say and do is the length and shadow of our souls, our influence is determined by the quality of our being.” ~ Dale E. Turner
Being Bold Builds Boldness – SummitLife Today: Friday, November 30, 2012
Boldness builds on previous experiences of being bold. Tough and challenging times require leaders to be bold. Bold leaders don’t avoid or run from a conflict or difficult circumstances. They face them head on, with confidence. Their confidence comes from their successes in previous bold encounters. There is no character in the Bible bolder than David when he faced Goliath.
“Don’t worry about this Philistine,” David told Saul. “I’ll go fight him!” “Don’t be ridiculous!” Saul replied. “There’s no way you can fight this Philistine and possibly win! You’re only a boy…But David persisted. “I have been taking care of my father’s sheep and goats,” he said. “When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!”…Goliath walked out toward David… sneering in contempt…David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. (from 1 Samuel 17:32-45 NLT)
By the time David had to face Goliath, he had a pretty solid resume of boldness. God had always been faithful in both protecting him and giving David the strength he needed for each encounter. David’s boldness to face a giant was built on other bold experiences in his life.
What are the giants in your life and leadership today? Remember God’s faithfulness in the past when you had to overcome difficulties. God was there for you then and He’ll be there for you now. Draw strength from your past experience.
Being bold can apply to relationships, circumstances, habits, dreams, business deals, generosity and just about any other factor that can present a challenge or difficulty for us to overcome. Strong leaders are bold leaders who run toward the challenges they need to conquer.
Be a bold leader today by first identifying the challenge you need to conquer and then move toward it with confidence. There will always be danger and risk. No matter what difficulty you face today, be confident, be wise, be prepared, be brave and be bold!
“Freedom lies in being bold.” ~ Robert Frost
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