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It's that time of year again....we look back over what we have accomplished and begin to make plans for what we would like to do in the year to come.
The question that I want to pose today is: How often do you pray before you begin to plan? Proverbs 21:30 says "The is no wisdom, no insight, no plan, that can succeed against The Lord." So if you aren't going to The Lord for guidance before making your plans, you are risking certain failure if your plans go against what God wants.
So I looked in Proverbs to see if I could find a strategy to make my yearly planning time more productive.
God is definitely in favor of planning, when done right. Proverbs 21:5 points out, "The plans of the diligent lead to profit, as surely as haste leads to poverty". From this advice I know that I have to take time and deliberately think about my plans. The investment you put into planning can make the difference between success and failure.
Once you are happy with what you have developed, Proverbs 15:22 points out that "Plans fail for lack of council, but with many advisors, they succeed". By running your plans by MULTIPLE advisors, you will be able to get different perspectives on how to accomplish your tasks. You may have overlooked a step that someone else spots. The other thing that takes place when you run your plans by multiple advisors is that the plans become more real. What I mean is that by showing others what you are planning to accomplish, you are making an accountability claim. Most of the planning gurus agree that there are two things you can do that drastically increase your chance of reaching your goals...1. Write down your plans. 2. Share them with others.
Now it all boils down to execution, and Proverbs has some words of advice here also. Proverbs 16:3 says "Commit to The Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans." And later in verse 9 it says, "In their hearts humans plan their course, but The Lord establishes their steps." I think these are two very important points that will improve your plan attainment. First, show The Lord your plans and commit to doing your best to complete them. Then allow The Lord to establish them. Then, once you have committed to your plans in your heart, allow for The Lord to lead your steps. He knows what you are trying to accomplish, and he may have a better way for you to get it done, if you just listen.
As I prepare to sit down and work out my plans for the coming year, I am going to focus on these tips from Proverbs:
1. Check in with The Lord before you get started, and ask for his guidance as you begin to plan. Ask him to reveal what He wants you to accomplish to insure your plans are not in conflict with His.
2. Take your time and set aside dedicated space to put the work into creating your plans. There are no bonus points for finishing first.
3. Once your plans are completed, share them with people you trust in order to get their feedback. Ask for suggestions, have them ask questions, become accountable for your results.
4. Commit your plans to The Lord and promise to do your best.
5. Listen to The Lord along the way. He may have a better way for you to do something, but if you are so focused on how you are executing, vs. staying focused on the goal, you may miss an opportunity that He is revealing to you.
Planning is always a challenging exercise that can seem frustrating and possibly a waste. Have you ever wondered if planning is the problem, or if it is how you are planning? If you are creating plans that don't take what God wants for you into consideration, you are doomed to fail. Give this process a try this year and let me know how it goes.....I'm excited to see how it turns out.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Who Keeps a Leader in Check?
So if you are a leader.....the person in charge......the one who is responsible for holding people accountable....Who watches you?
Without a compass to guide you, or a rule book to follow, a leader is in a position to bend the rules to include whatever they feel is acceptable. In Romans 7, Paul points out that one of the benefits of the Law is that it actually helps define what sin is. The Bible is a fantastic resource for leaders to ground themselves and understand what standard God is holding them to.
Knowing what is right and doing it are two totally different things. In Romans 7:18-19 Paul speaks about having the desire to do what is good, but not being able to carry it out. There is a constant struggle between understanding what is right in God's eyes and wanting to do what you know is wrong. This can be exacerbated when you are a leader and can rationalize away certain behavior, because there is no one there to hold you accountable.
So how do you battle the sinful nature that is within us all? The key is to stay focused on the Spirit. In Romans 8:26, Paul writes: "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express." He goes on to say in verse 28 that "....in all things God works for the good of those who love him.......If God is for us, who can be against us. (v31)
So let's talk about the tools that you have at your disposal to keep yourself from getting carried away with your authority....
1. The Bible - the more I live, the more I am convinced that the Bible gives you the rules of the game that God is expecting you to play. It maps out all of the "best practices" that will help you understand how God wants you to live your life. Most importantly it helps you focus.....Not on yourself but on God, and those around you.
2. The Holy Spirit - This is the member of the Trinity that usually gets overlooked. God sent the Holy Spirit to us to help us on Earth. The Spirit can actually help fix things that we don't even know are broken. In order to do this, we have to let Him KNOW us. Only through truly knowing someone, can you see when something is wrong that my be unrecognized.
3. Friends - God does most of his work through people. He surrounds us with people, expecting us to help each other. Find a close group of friends who are willing to be honest with you when they see something that concerns them....then listen to what they have to say.
God does not grade on a curve. There are things that are definitely right and most certainly wrong. And God knows that we are going to mess up as often as we do right. Be thankful for Grace, because if we had to follow all the rules to make God happy, we would be destined to fail. I think the key is to stay grounded in what the "standard" is and take note every time that we are off track. While God may not grade on a curve, he will give an "E" for Effort.
So in closing:
1. Use the Bible to ground yourself in what the rules are
2. Check yourself regularly to understand where you are off course
3. Ask for the Spirit to intercede when he sees you going astray
4. Ask for forgiveness when you are aware of your mistake
5. Ask for help to not make the mistake again
6. Do the work necessary to not repeat your shortfalls
Following these steps will not only keep you in check, but it will set a great example for those you lead. It will show them that you do what is right, not because the "boss says so" but because it is the right thing to do.
Without a compass to guide you, or a rule book to follow, a leader is in a position to bend the rules to include whatever they feel is acceptable. In Romans 7, Paul points out that one of the benefits of the Law is that it actually helps define what sin is. The Bible is a fantastic resource for leaders to ground themselves and understand what standard God is holding them to.
Knowing what is right and doing it are two totally different things. In Romans 7:18-19 Paul speaks about having the desire to do what is good, but not being able to carry it out. There is a constant struggle between understanding what is right in God's eyes and wanting to do what you know is wrong. This can be exacerbated when you are a leader and can rationalize away certain behavior, because there is no one there to hold you accountable.
So how do you battle the sinful nature that is within us all? The key is to stay focused on the Spirit. In Romans 8:26, Paul writes: "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express." He goes on to say in verse 28 that "....in all things God works for the good of those who love him.......If God is for us, who can be against us. (v31)
So let's talk about the tools that you have at your disposal to keep yourself from getting carried away with your authority....
1. The Bible - the more I live, the more I am convinced that the Bible gives you the rules of the game that God is expecting you to play. It maps out all of the "best practices" that will help you understand how God wants you to live your life. Most importantly it helps you focus.....Not on yourself but on God, and those around you.
2. The Holy Spirit - This is the member of the Trinity that usually gets overlooked. God sent the Holy Spirit to us to help us on Earth. The Spirit can actually help fix things that we don't even know are broken. In order to do this, we have to let Him KNOW us. Only through truly knowing someone, can you see when something is wrong that my be unrecognized.
3. Friends - God does most of his work through people. He surrounds us with people, expecting us to help each other. Find a close group of friends who are willing to be honest with you when they see something that concerns them....then listen to what they have to say.
God does not grade on a curve. There are things that are definitely right and most certainly wrong. And God knows that we are going to mess up as often as we do right. Be thankful for Grace, because if we had to follow all the rules to make God happy, we would be destined to fail. I think the key is to stay grounded in what the "standard" is and take note every time that we are off track. While God may not grade on a curve, he will give an "E" for Effort.
So in closing:
1. Use the Bible to ground yourself in what the rules are
2. Check yourself regularly to understand where you are off course
3. Ask for the Spirit to intercede when he sees you going astray
4. Ask for forgiveness when you are aware of your mistake
5. Ask for help to not make the mistake again
6. Do the work necessary to not repeat your shortfalls
Following these steps will not only keep you in check, but it will set a great example for those you lead. It will show them that you do what is right, not because the "boss says so" but because it is the right thing to do.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Leadership Starts at Home
In celebration of my brother's recent marriage, I have decided to dedicate this blog to him. Being the spiritual leader of the home is one of the most important and impactful uses of leadership there is.
I guess I could always begin with the famous quote, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15 But what exactly does that mean? and when exactly does that typically get implemented. When does "my house" start? One could argue that it happens the day that the son leaves his father and mother and sets out on his own. At the very least, it begins when a man and a woman join together.
So what does it mean to be the spiritual leader of the family? It can be an intimidating thought if you have not always been someone who follows God's will. My wife, before she would agree to date me, told me that if I couldn't commit to being the spiritual leader of a household, then she would have to back out of our budding relationship, because we would have no long-term future. She was not willing to be in any more relationships where God was not at the center of the household, and she did not want to be the one that drove that point home.
For me it was a very pivotal moment. While I was really interested in her, I was not sure that I was able to make the commitment that she required. I thought it was worth a chance, so I started attending church services. I went to a different church every Sunday, trying to see if I found a place that I could use as a "home base" in my growth. There were many times that it felt uncomfortable, and I didn't feel like I fit in, but eventually, I found a place that I could at least begin "going through the motions". I want to take a moment to say that at times, I had to "fake it till I made it". I truly went through the motions of going to church figuring that if there was a God, and he wanted me to find him, I had to give him the opportunity. You can't catch a fish in a parking lot....you have to be near water... I am someone that fully commits to things, so I also decided to join a small group. It was a huge step for me, but again, I wanted to make sure that I was giving myself the full chance to see if "spiritual leader" was a title I was able to take.
Finally, I started reading the Bible on a regular basis. I think that this was the missing piece for me. Like the other motions I was going through, I began by just trying to "get through it". But the more I read, the more I began to get answers and advice about things I was trying to deal with. I got a "Devotional Bible For Dads" which really helped me learn to apply what I was reading to be a good Dad. This is when the light went on for me. That the Bible was actually a useful tool, when applied correctly to help you understand how to live your life, be a husband, and raise a family. The words began to come off the page at me and I was able to apply them to life.
I was convinced that I could honestly commit to being the spiritual leader of a family.....my family. So far, things have been working out pretty well. The work I put in trying to decide if I could keep my promise, actually prepared me for the position I was meant to fill. It taught me:
1. Days will not always go the way you want, but God is always there for you, and he will never give you more than what you can handle.
2. There are more important things in this world than you. Pride and selfishness are at the root of almost all bad things, so base your beliefs in what Jesus teaches and find friends and family who are able to let you know when you are off the path.
3. Even if you didn't have the best family life growing up, and are unsure how to parent, there are answers to all of your questions between the pages of the Bible. I love to look at the people in the Bible and see how they handled hardship, stress, and family. It gives me confidence to know how others handled similar situations (or in many times much worse) than one I deal with.
4. The church is more than a place to go and listen to a pastor speak....all those people you sit next to are real people, with real experiences, who can give you real advice! Get to know them, spend time investing in relationships that are constructive vs. destructive.
5. God is very clear of how he wants us to live our lives....and if the leader of the house aligns with God's will, then the others in the home will have a much easier time navigating life. It is a pretty easy formula....If you are right with God, then you and your spouse have a better chance of having a healthy and happy marriage....If you have a good marriage, your children will be raised in an environment that is conducive to growth and learning.....If you teach your children discipline, respect, and love, then you will have a higher chance of them growing into the people that God wants them to be.
6. YOU are last. This is a leadership lesson that expands out of your household to any opportunity that you have....The more you invest in the benefit of others, the more willing people are going to be to follow you. (Remember, there still needs to be discipline and consequence, or you will be taken advantage of)
7. Worry about nothing, pray for everything....This piece of scripture will change your life. The more you pray, the less you will stress about things...give your issues to the Lord, read the Bible, use the church to help find answers...then the pressure of always having the have the "right" answer goes away and you can focus on your real job.....Being the Leader of your household....
It is not rocket science.....
Want to find God?
Do the work
Say your prayers
Lead first, think of yourself later
Enjoy the ride....
Maybe someday my little brother will find the desire to go down a similar path as me.....maybe not, but at least he now has a place to look if he ever wanted to know how I did it....
I guess I could always begin with the famous quote, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15 But what exactly does that mean? and when exactly does that typically get implemented. When does "my house" start? One could argue that it happens the day that the son leaves his father and mother and sets out on his own. At the very least, it begins when a man and a woman join together.
So what does it mean to be the spiritual leader of the family? It can be an intimidating thought if you have not always been someone who follows God's will. My wife, before she would agree to date me, told me that if I couldn't commit to being the spiritual leader of a household, then she would have to back out of our budding relationship, because we would have no long-term future. She was not willing to be in any more relationships where God was not at the center of the household, and she did not want to be the one that drove that point home.
For me it was a very pivotal moment. While I was really interested in her, I was not sure that I was able to make the commitment that she required. I thought it was worth a chance, so I started attending church services. I went to a different church every Sunday, trying to see if I found a place that I could use as a "home base" in my growth. There were many times that it felt uncomfortable, and I didn't feel like I fit in, but eventually, I found a place that I could at least begin "going through the motions". I want to take a moment to say that at times, I had to "fake it till I made it". I truly went through the motions of going to church figuring that if there was a God, and he wanted me to find him, I had to give him the opportunity. You can't catch a fish in a parking lot....you have to be near water... I am someone that fully commits to things, so I also decided to join a small group. It was a huge step for me, but again, I wanted to make sure that I was giving myself the full chance to see if "spiritual leader" was a title I was able to take.
Finally, I started reading the Bible on a regular basis. I think that this was the missing piece for me. Like the other motions I was going through, I began by just trying to "get through it". But the more I read, the more I began to get answers and advice about things I was trying to deal with. I got a "Devotional Bible For Dads" which really helped me learn to apply what I was reading to be a good Dad. This is when the light went on for me. That the Bible was actually a useful tool, when applied correctly to help you understand how to live your life, be a husband, and raise a family. The words began to come off the page at me and I was able to apply them to life.
I was convinced that I could honestly commit to being the spiritual leader of a family.....my family. So far, things have been working out pretty well. The work I put in trying to decide if I could keep my promise, actually prepared me for the position I was meant to fill. It taught me:
1. Days will not always go the way you want, but God is always there for you, and he will never give you more than what you can handle.
2. There are more important things in this world than you. Pride and selfishness are at the root of almost all bad things, so base your beliefs in what Jesus teaches and find friends and family who are able to let you know when you are off the path.
3. Even if you didn't have the best family life growing up, and are unsure how to parent, there are answers to all of your questions between the pages of the Bible. I love to look at the people in the Bible and see how they handled hardship, stress, and family. It gives me confidence to know how others handled similar situations (or in many times much worse) than one I deal with.
4. The church is more than a place to go and listen to a pastor speak....all those people you sit next to are real people, with real experiences, who can give you real advice! Get to know them, spend time investing in relationships that are constructive vs. destructive.
5. God is very clear of how he wants us to live our lives....and if the leader of the house aligns with God's will, then the others in the home will have a much easier time navigating life. It is a pretty easy formula....If you are right with God, then you and your spouse have a better chance of having a healthy and happy marriage....If you have a good marriage, your children will be raised in an environment that is conducive to growth and learning.....If you teach your children discipline, respect, and love, then you will have a higher chance of them growing into the people that God wants them to be.
6. YOU are last. This is a leadership lesson that expands out of your household to any opportunity that you have....The more you invest in the benefit of others, the more willing people are going to be to follow you. (Remember, there still needs to be discipline and consequence, or you will be taken advantage of)
7. Worry about nothing, pray for everything....This piece of scripture will change your life. The more you pray, the less you will stress about things...give your issues to the Lord, read the Bible, use the church to help find answers...then the pressure of always having the have the "right" answer goes away and you can focus on your real job.....Being the Leader of your household....
It is not rocket science.....
Want to find God?
Do the work
Say your prayers
Lead first, think of yourself later
Enjoy the ride....
Maybe someday my little brother will find the desire to go down a similar path as me.....maybe not, but at least he now has a place to look if he ever wanted to know how I did it....
Thursday, August 30, 2012
You Gotta Have Faith....
What place does faith have in leadership?
As a Christian Leader, I think there is a base understanding that needs to drive everything that you do. In Romans 3:21-26, Paul communicates the key to the beginning of a relationship with God. He begins by reminding us that "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,..." The key is in the next section, "...justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins."
We see here that in God's eyes, we are all lost, but only though his grace, due to the sacrifice of his Son, are we able to be redeemed. I also like how Paul calls out that God chooses to pass over former sins....
So what can we take from this as leaders?
1. We need to ground ourselves in faith
The first key to great leadership is being humble. If you read Romans 3:10-18, you will see what God thinks of us when we are not in relationship with him. So if we are not right with God and understand that the only reason we are in the position that we are is because of His grace, we are destined to be lost.
2. We can choose to emulate God
Paul reminds us that it is God's choice to overlook past sins, as long as we repent and ask for forgiveness. As a leader, how quick are you to forgive your followers when they do wrong? I don't think that this passage says that we should let people walk over us, but I do think that we should practice the same forgiveness as God.
3. Give your people reason to have faith in you
As I stated earlier, there is a divine faith that we must have in the one true God and His Son, Jesus. However, there is also an earthly faith that people have. As leaders, we need to gain the faith of our people. This can only be done by consistent behavior that earns trust, confidence and results. The best way to earn the faith of your people is to turn to the Lord for help, in every decision. Reading the Bible daily will begin to build your character and help you begin to base your thoughts around God's teaching.
4. Be more thoughtful about the motivation than the actions
In Romans 3:28 Paul writes, "For we hold that one is justified by faith, apart from works..." God isn't concerned about what we do as much as he is about why we do it. Don't get me wrong, God wants us to do good things, but the motivation in our heart should drive the good things that we do. As you look at the actions you take, ask yourself "why am I doing this?" Is it based out of selfish need, or is it motivated out of helping others? The second way to think about this is in judging the actions of your employees. What is their motivation, even if their actions didn't turn out right.
I use the scripture from my Men's Bible Study group to drive the content for my blogs. Some weeks the words apply themselves very easy to a leadership lesson, other times.....not so much. While the scripture that I used today is not a natural fit into leadership lessons, I think the theme fits well. Everything hinges on our faith in God and the understanding that our eternal salvation is a gift of grace. If we use that as our compass, especially as we deal with others, the decisions that you make should originate from a Godly place.
As a Christian Leader, I think there is a base understanding that needs to drive everything that you do. In Romans 3:21-26, Paul communicates the key to the beginning of a relationship with God. He begins by reminding us that "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,..." The key is in the next section, "...justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins."
We see here that in God's eyes, we are all lost, but only though his grace, due to the sacrifice of his Son, are we able to be redeemed. I also like how Paul calls out that God chooses to pass over former sins....
So what can we take from this as leaders?
1. We need to ground ourselves in faith
The first key to great leadership is being humble. If you read Romans 3:10-18, you will see what God thinks of us when we are not in relationship with him. So if we are not right with God and understand that the only reason we are in the position that we are is because of His grace, we are destined to be lost.
2. We can choose to emulate God
Paul reminds us that it is God's choice to overlook past sins, as long as we repent and ask for forgiveness. As a leader, how quick are you to forgive your followers when they do wrong? I don't think that this passage says that we should let people walk over us, but I do think that we should practice the same forgiveness as God.
3. Give your people reason to have faith in you
As I stated earlier, there is a divine faith that we must have in the one true God and His Son, Jesus. However, there is also an earthly faith that people have. As leaders, we need to gain the faith of our people. This can only be done by consistent behavior that earns trust, confidence and results. The best way to earn the faith of your people is to turn to the Lord for help, in every decision. Reading the Bible daily will begin to build your character and help you begin to base your thoughts around God's teaching.
4. Be more thoughtful about the motivation than the actions
In Romans 3:28 Paul writes, "For we hold that one is justified by faith, apart from works..." God isn't concerned about what we do as much as he is about why we do it. Don't get me wrong, God wants us to do good things, but the motivation in our heart should drive the good things that we do. As you look at the actions you take, ask yourself "why am I doing this?" Is it based out of selfish need, or is it motivated out of helping others? The second way to think about this is in judging the actions of your employees. What is their motivation, even if their actions didn't turn out right.
I use the scripture from my Men's Bible Study group to drive the content for my blogs. Some weeks the words apply themselves very easy to a leadership lesson, other times.....not so much. While the scripture that I used today is not a natural fit into leadership lessons, I think the theme fits well. Everything hinges on our faith in God and the understanding that our eternal salvation is a gift of grace. If we use that as our compass, especially as we deal with others, the decisions that you make should originate from a Godly place.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
A Higher Court
The Summer Olympics is one of the most exciting two weeks of sports that take place every four years. Many of the sports have clear cut winners, who compete against each other in timed events, or in scoring competitions. Swimming, Track and Field, Soccer and Beach Volleyball all have outcomes based on measurable results.
However, there are other sports where the winner is determined based on the judgement of others.....Gymnastics, diving, and trampoline (yes, that is actually an Olympic event) are examples of some of these sports. I always find it so interesting that by the end of the games, everyone has become an expert on how to judge these events, especially gymnastics. With little or no knowledge of the sport, people remark about how the scoring was either too high, or too low for a given performance. These athletes are then "judged" as a champion or failure based on the opinion of others.....
What if you worked your entire life to be perfect at your job, and then one day, people who knew very little about your profession came to your place of work and judged you based upon their opinion of your performance on that day....My point is, that it is very easy for us to sit back and judge the performance and action of others, but are not nearly as comfortable when the roles are reversed and we feel like we are the ones being judged.
In Paul's letter to the Romans, he discusses the topic of people judging each other. He warns against judging others for actions they have taken, when you may very well carry out the same actions. He warns us that we need to be aware that when we are hypocrites, God judges us even more harshly,
Paul is very serious in his warning about how important it is to worry about your own actions and not be quick to point out the shortcomings of others.....especially if we are guilty of the same thing! Let's look at this example from a leadership perspective. The leader that tells his people to work hard, be honest, and give your best, has little or no credibility when he is caught leaving work early to go play golf. It is our job to set the example of what Godly behavior should be, not because we are trying to be better than others, but because that is the respect and thanks that God requests for being his children.
Much like the hypocritical boss loses credibility, so does the Christian who is quick to call out what is wrong with others, yet slow to monitor their own behavior. These people do more harm to the name of the Lord than the many who choose not to believe, because they send a false message that Christians are above others.
Paul, however, reminds us in Romans 2:8 "God will give to each person according to what he has done." I think this is where people lose sight of things.....God has a long memory. If you go through life busy calling out what everyone else is doing wrong, while not acknowledging your own faults, you are setting yourself up for a very harsh judgement day. Another caveat of human judgement is that we are not aware of ALL of the circumstances that a person is dealing with as we judge them. We are only capable of seeing them through our filter. Only God has the ability to understand the entire situation and then be able to deliver a fair verdict.
To turn back to the Olympics for an example....Jordyn Weiber was the world champion in ladies gymnastics. She was a favorite to win multiple gold medals at the London games this year. It was her year to shine. As she worked through her routines on the first night, time after time, her performances seemed to fall just short. The judges gave her lower scores than normal, and the commentators found "chinks in the armor". In the end she missed going to the all-around finals by the slightest of margins. She was devastated, but came back the next time to help her team win a gold medal. However, she only qualified for one event final, which she finished poorly on.....Some would say that she "under performed"....others might say that she "choked".....The questions is, when those same people found out that she had gone through the entire competition with a stress fracture in her leg, but never complained and still gave her all, would they feel the same way?
Take Paul's caution seriously.....Judgement is another form of pride in practice. It is a dangerous game to play....This doesn't mean that, as leaders, we shouldn't have high expectations of people, and hold them accountable for their actions. It does mean that we are equally accountable for our own. While it may be our job to set expectations and make corrections to behaviors, it is not our place to judge the motivation or the substance of the person....That is for God's determination
However, there are other sports where the winner is determined based on the judgement of others.....Gymnastics, diving, and trampoline (yes, that is actually an Olympic event) are examples of some of these sports. I always find it so interesting that by the end of the games, everyone has become an expert on how to judge these events, especially gymnastics. With little or no knowledge of the sport, people remark about how the scoring was either too high, or too low for a given performance. These athletes are then "judged" as a champion or failure based on the opinion of others.....
What if you worked your entire life to be perfect at your job, and then one day, people who knew very little about your profession came to your place of work and judged you based upon their opinion of your performance on that day....My point is, that it is very easy for us to sit back and judge the performance and action of others, but are not nearly as comfortable when the roles are reversed and we feel like we are the ones being judged.
In Paul's letter to the Romans, he discusses the topic of people judging each other. He warns against judging others for actions they have taken, when you may very well carry out the same actions. He warns us that we need to be aware that when we are hypocrites, God judges us even more harshly,
Paul is very serious in his warning about how important it is to worry about your own actions and not be quick to point out the shortcomings of others.....especially if we are guilty of the same thing! Let's look at this example from a leadership perspective. The leader that tells his people to work hard, be honest, and give your best, has little or no credibility when he is caught leaving work early to go play golf. It is our job to set the example of what Godly behavior should be, not because we are trying to be better than others, but because that is the respect and thanks that God requests for being his children.
Much like the hypocritical boss loses credibility, so does the Christian who is quick to call out what is wrong with others, yet slow to monitor their own behavior. These people do more harm to the name of the Lord than the many who choose not to believe, because they send a false message that Christians are above others.
Paul, however, reminds us in Romans 2:8 "God will give to each person according to what he has done." I think this is where people lose sight of things.....God has a long memory. If you go through life busy calling out what everyone else is doing wrong, while not acknowledging your own faults, you are setting yourself up for a very harsh judgement day. Another caveat of human judgement is that we are not aware of ALL of the circumstances that a person is dealing with as we judge them. We are only capable of seeing them through our filter. Only God has the ability to understand the entire situation and then be able to deliver a fair verdict.
To turn back to the Olympics for an example....Jordyn Weiber was the world champion in ladies gymnastics. She was a favorite to win multiple gold medals at the London games this year. It was her year to shine. As she worked through her routines on the first night, time after time, her performances seemed to fall just short. The judges gave her lower scores than normal, and the commentators found "chinks in the armor". In the end she missed going to the all-around finals by the slightest of margins. She was devastated, but came back the next time to help her team win a gold medal. However, she only qualified for one event final, which she finished poorly on.....Some would say that she "under performed"....others might say that she "choked".....The questions is, when those same people found out that she had gone through the entire competition with a stress fracture in her leg, but never complained and still gave her all, would they feel the same way?
Take Paul's caution seriously.....Judgement is another form of pride in practice. It is a dangerous game to play....This doesn't mean that, as leaders, we shouldn't have high expectations of people, and hold them accountable for their actions. It does mean that we are equally accountable for our own. While it may be our job to set expectations and make corrections to behaviors, it is not our place to judge the motivation or the substance of the person....That is for God's determination
Friday, August 3, 2012
Remember What Got You There....
Have you ever watched someone who evolved into a totally different person as they experienced success? What do you think happened?
Romans, Chapter 1 provides good thoughts on one explaination of how leaders can take a wrong path.
In verse 17, Paul starts off by saying that the "Righteous shall live by faith." So often when we are at the beginning of a new journey, we need to check in with God to help us. God is always willing to guide us, and he wants the very best for us. The issue occurs when the success starts to come and we begin to believe that we are the reason for the results. In verse 21, Paus says "For although they knew God, they did not honor him or give him thanks, but became futile in their thinking and their foolish hearts were darkened."
This is a transition point. When leaders actively choose to ignore the help that God provided in terms of guidance, their future is put in jeopardy. In verse 27 Paul says "Claiming to be wise, they became fools." Once pride takes over, confidence extends to areas that may not be realistic. We set ourselves up for failure because we believe we know the best way to navigate the path. We set our sites on worshiping the prize or the title, or the money, and not what God put you in the position to do. For this reason Paul says that "God gave them up because they worshiped the creature rather than the creator." I think that means that the focus became the "stuff" and not the "substance" Usually this is the part of the story where the leader has their fall from grace.
So how do you insure that this doesn't happen to you?
1. Don't forget who put you in the position that you are in.
2. Ask yourself why you have been blessed with your success? What does he want you to do with it.....
3. Put people around you who will keep your pride in check and insure that you focus on your responsibility, not your reward.
These three steps should at least give you an integrity check to help limit your risk of falling out of favor with God as you experience the benefits of his blessings......It's not about you.
Romans, Chapter 1 provides good thoughts on one explaination of how leaders can take a wrong path.
In verse 17, Paul starts off by saying that the "Righteous shall live by faith." So often when we are at the beginning of a new journey, we need to check in with God to help us. God is always willing to guide us, and he wants the very best for us. The issue occurs when the success starts to come and we begin to believe that we are the reason for the results. In verse 21, Paus says "For although they knew God, they did not honor him or give him thanks, but became futile in their thinking and their foolish hearts were darkened."
This is a transition point. When leaders actively choose to ignore the help that God provided in terms of guidance, their future is put in jeopardy. In verse 27 Paul says "Claiming to be wise, they became fools." Once pride takes over, confidence extends to areas that may not be realistic. We set ourselves up for failure because we believe we know the best way to navigate the path. We set our sites on worshiping the prize or the title, or the money, and not what God put you in the position to do. For this reason Paul says that "God gave them up because they worshiped the creature rather than the creator." I think that means that the focus became the "stuff" and not the "substance" Usually this is the part of the story where the leader has their fall from grace.
So how do you insure that this doesn't happen to you?
1. Don't forget who put you in the position that you are in.
2. Ask yourself why you have been blessed with your success? What does he want you to do with it.....
3. Put people around you who will keep your pride in check and insure that you focus on your responsibility, not your reward.
These three steps should at least give you an integrity check to help limit your risk of falling out of favor with God as you experience the benefits of his blessings......It's not about you.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
It Starts at Home
A mentor of mine once told me...."Leaders lead". It was in response to a question I asked him about how I should act in a certain situation. The reason that it has stuck with me for all these years, is that I use it to set my compass when I am considering how to act, or react to a situation.
Often times, when we think of leadership, we frame it in regards to work, or sports, or politics or war. Very rarely do we look to the place that leadership is most needed......the family. For this blog I want to dig into Colossians Chapter 3 to get some insight on how we can learn to lead where it matter most....at home.
This book of the Bible was written by Paul to the Colossians. Unlike many of his letters, Paul had never had a chance to visit the people to whom he wrote. That did not stop him from delivering his views on how to live a Godly life. In the 5th verse we get our first piece of advice on how to prepare yourself to be a good leader...."Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire and covetousness, which is idolatry." Think of all the times throughout history that one of the above mentioned vices brought down the leaders of this world, and of families that you may know. Paul goes on to say...."put away anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another..." Look at your leadership in your home. How often do one of these reactions cause untold damage in your family? As a leader of a family, you are responsible to set the stage for what the expectation for behavior is. If you act in the above fashion, what are you setting as the standard for the rest of the people living under your roof.
Paul does give some advice on how to act...."Put on...compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience......forgiving each other as the Lord forgave you." There is no place as a leader to hold a grudge. Once a wrong is forgiven in your household, your job is to insure that it is never again held against the person. People can not grow when they are constantly being reminded of past transgressions. Where is there desire to take risk, be honest, or make a bold move, if they feel that their failure will always be lauded over them? Paul stresses the need for you to "put on love" as you live.... If you love your family, before you react to them, you will have the attitude necessary to lead.
I am now going to give my opinion on one of the most hotly contended passages in the Bible. It is Paul's advice on Rules for a Christian Household. It begins by Paul telling wives to "submit" to your husbands. This does not mean that Paul wants wives to become slaves to whatever the husband demands, or to not have a say in decisions in the home. He makes sure to put in there "as fitting to the Lord" which means that a wife should not follow a husband that is not leading the family in a Godly way.
Paul follows that up by telling husbands to love their wives and not be harsh with them. If a husband truly loves his wife, then there will be a respect and attention that will always honor her opinion and seek her guidance for important decisions. These two commands speak to what all men and women want. By telling the wife to submit to her husband, he is basically telling her to give him respect, which all men need. By telling a husband to love his wife, he is telling him to show her the attention and affection that she deserves and needs to feel good about the relationship.
We see the same balance in the next passage where he tells children to obey their parents, but reminds fathers not to provoke their children. This again speaks toward an understanding that if the leader of the household does his job in a Godly manner, then things will be as they should. However, if the husband does not love his wife, lead in the way of the lord, or provokes the children, then the order of the family will be shaken and there will not be a strong team. One quick note, it tells children to obey their PARENTS but speaks to the FATHER as the one who needs to be careful not to provoke the children. To me, this implies that it is the Father's job, as the leader, to take responsibility for the follow through on the discipline in the household.
The rest of the chapter discusses how these same principles should be followed by slaves to their masters. In current times, this can be taken as how we should act at work toward our superiors. The key direction that is given in these verses is "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. How does that change your outlook on you as an employee? The next time you are struggling with having to do something you detest, remember that the Lord is watching....the very same person who sent his Son to die on a cross for every sin that has ever been committed.....maybe you can reach down and give a little more next time.....
Colossians 3 has a lot of good direction on how to ready yourself for leadership......how to set your family up for success...and how to insure that you are an employee that will make your Lord proud. The next time that you have the opportunity to step into any of these situations and take on any of these roles, remember: prepare yourself as Paul instructs, Lead as Paul directs, and work as the Lord desires....
If you align yourself to these teachings, you should find that you will have a much better chance of success.
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