The Treasure Principle

Some of us are ready to hear the following and run with it.  I understand that some of us just aren't quite there yet...  That would be me a few years ago.  That's OK...  But - if the following hits you exactly where it needs to - then GOOD!

This just put a good degree of wind in my sails today...

It's called "The Treasure Principle".  What it is, in a nutshell:

"You can't take it with you -- but you can send it on ahead."

What!?!?  Yup - It's that simple.  If you "get it" - maybe right now you might be struggling to get your breath back...?

Randy Alcorn writes: "Anything we try to hang on to here will be lost.  BUT, anything we put into God's hands can be ours for eternity.  If we GIVE instead of KEEP, if we invest in the ETERNAL instead of the TEMPORAL, we store up treasures in heaven that never stop paying dividends.  Whatever treasures we store up on earth will be left behind when we leave it.  Whatever treasures we store up in heaven will be waiting for us when we arrive."

I was an Economics Major in college - so this is really grabbing my attention!  We are told that smart financial/economic planning is to not think 3 months or 3 years ahead - but to think 30 years ahead.  With Christ as our Ultimate Advisor, He is challenging us to think even farther -- our "investments" can be paying off in 30 million years - or more!!

You and I are entrusted with a handful of things during our earthly life - be it money, gifts, talents, material things, relationships, influence, etc.  God in His grace, gives each one of us "treasures" that we can enjoy and be blessed with.  But these good things are merely just a "beginning" - not an end.  They are not given as "rewards" - and they are especially NOT given for us to have and keep for ourselves.  As we learn to hand over to God what He has given us in the first place, amazing and powerful things can happen - on a scale that we can't possibly fathom.  But God does!

As we live more fully surrendered to Him - as we live more and more for His purposes and His Glory - we will hang on more lightly to what belongs to this world only.  Learning to have more of an eternal perspective on all that we have and do is possible - and it is a perspective that will require a deeper trust in a God that has bigger and greater plans for His people - in the now and far beyond the now!

There are Great Treasures He wants for us!  In heaven we are promised them in rich measure - for a life intentionally and selflessly lived for the Cause and Kingdom of Christ.

In my simple and current understanding - this means that:

1) We receive great and full Gifts of Grace from God while on this earth - but God has Heavenly Blessings prepared for us that are UNBELIEVABLE!!  He is eager to give great Treasures in Heaven to those that work and serve hard and dedicate themselves fully to loving Him and living for Him - and especially suffering for Him.

2) Through our tiny, insignificant but yielded lives - and through all our efforts - we can have an UNBELIEVABLE amount of Heavenly Impact far into the future!!  Because of what you and I do for Jesus NOW - people can be blessed LATER  - maybe even hundreds of centuries later??  That's WAY cool...!!  And humbling.

Woah, Nellie!!  Sign me up for THIS Investment Plan, please...

Jesus sums it all up right here...



The Word You Can Lean On:
Matthew 6:20 - "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven..."

Status Quo??

THIS caught my attention earlier today - and it's a quote that had never been on my radar:

 "Status quo, you know, is Latin for 'the mess we're in'."  

                                                                                -Ronald Reagan  

(Correctly translated is means "the state in which".)

I let out a laugh!  Ya got to hand it to RR - he always did have a knack for saying things in a memorable way.

I've been letting this phrase be a part of my day, and I believe there are implications on leadership - as it relates to the "status quo":

1) A leader who loves the status quo will quickly become a follower.  To be leading - by definition - means that you are toward the front, breaking new ground, exploring new worlds, moving away from the status quo.  Leaders are seldom content with the way things are - but they carefully need to cultivate their vision for "what could be" in healthy and dynamic ways.

2) Dissatisfaction with the status quo does not mean having a negative, grumbling attitude.  Unfortunately, many leaders eager to challenge the status quo are misinterpreted as "trouble makers".  At it's best, this has more to with the willingness to try different things - and mustering up courage to take risks.  Someone that fails to take risks now and then, fails to grow.   And what happens when something stops growing?

3) Risking the status quo feels very dangerous because so many people are more comfortable with old problems - versus what it takes to come up with new solutions.  Good leaders will be constantly seeking to come up with new ways to solve problems.  What feels "dangerous" in the present can actually strengthen and save many organizations or families or Churches in the long haul. So hopefully, an attitude that leans away from maintaining the status quo is invited, encouraged, nurtured - and appreciated.

Another quote that I came across and put up on my Facebook status several weeks ago:

"Dead things don't change.  Living things always do".  

                                                                     -Author?  (I. Dunno)

If we are alive - and more significantly, alive in CHRIST - we should recognize that an important part of His character was - undeniably - challenging the status quo.  You simply cannot read very far into the Gospels to catch this significant trait in Him.  Jesus came to bring change.  He came to NOT let things be the same.  He came to usher in something new and fresh and powerful and dynamic:  His Kingdom.  Seeking to live out the Gospel daily, will always bring with it fresh and glorious challenges and changes.  Christ wants to peel us away from the status quo - and offer us a more abundant and purposeful and complete way of living.

Paul sums it up quite nicely below...

The Word You Can Lean On:
2 Corinthians 5:17 - "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, He is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."

Leaders and Language: Seeking a Response

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue,

     And those who love it will eat its fruit."

                                                            -Proverbs 18:21

In leadership, we use the tongue.  It is a small muscle - but it wields undeniable power.

Leaders must understand this: What and how we speak will convey different expectations as to how we hope others will respond.

I found this interesting - from some comments on American leadership culture from the 1950's to the present.

Arguably, we can distinguish Four Styles of Leadership Communication:

1)  Military Commander - Where leaders come out of an "army think" and expect unquestioning obedience from subordinates.

2)  Chief Executive Officer - A style driven by leaders expressing a vision to be shared by everyone.  Still a top down model and narrow in scope.

3)  Coach - Those that are being led are seen as players on a team.  But possibilities are limited to the vision of the coach.

4)  Poet - Leaders give language to express the heart of the team.  They develop others by giving encouragement and direction.  They fully recognize the power of words and seek to use them wisely.

I encourage you to pay attention as to what might be your preferred style of communicating - or the current  home or work culture in which you live.

Teamwork

"As much as we admire solo achievement, 

the truth is that no lone individual 

has done anything of great value.  

Behind able men and women are always 

other able men and women.  

Teamwork is at the heart 

of great achievement.  

We cannot do anything 

of real value alone."  

-John Maxwell

Caution: Selfishness.

"As selfishness and complaint pervert the mind,

so love with its joy clears and sharpens the vision..."

-Hellen Keller

Selfishness.  You know it's dangerous, right?

When we forget whom we serve, we quickly fall prey to base - and sinful - human instincts.  Even seasoned leaders are not exempt to acting out of motives that are self serving and manipulative.

Yup - that means you and me...  It is a caution flag worth waving...

If we forget to humble ourselves, we will eventually act selfishly.  And selfishness is incredibly destructive.  If we forget that we are called to serve God - and to serve those He has called - we can eventually bring pain and grief to those working along side of us in the Kingdom.

The opposite is - fortunately - also true.  As we actively seek to replace selfish behavior with actions motivated by UN-selfish humility, love and sacrifice - something just as powerful begins to happen:  We become more aligned with the true character and behavior of Christ.  We will see things around us being built up and strengthened - not weakened and torn down.

Paul puts it all together in a few, very efficient words:  "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves." - Philippians 2:3

History Matters!

Excerpted from a Men's Devotional written by Stuart Briscoe:

LEARNING FROM HISTORY

Moses named the place Massah—”the place of testing”—and Meribah—”the place of arguing”—because the people of Israel argued with Moses and tested the LORD by saying, “Is the LORD going to take care of us or not?” - EXODUS 17:7

Young people are rarely interested in history. Their past holds little of interest, and their future beckons alluringly. Older people show more interest in the subject. Their beckoning future is shorter than their fading past, so their interest in history is easily explained. But young people should realize that the lessons of history are designed to save them from mistakes in the future. As George Santayana stated, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

This is certainly true from a biblical perspective. Take, for instance, the incident at Massah and Meribah. Water was in short supply, so the Israelites understandably were panicking. As usual, they vented their frustration on long-suffering Moses, who, once again, turned to the Lord for a solution, which the Lord immediately provided through a miraculous intervention. The Lord told Moses, “Strike the rock, and water will come pouring out” (Exod. 17:6). He did, and it did!

But by this time the Lord’s patience was wearing thin. The redeemed people were “testing the Lord” (17:2). As a result of their habitual grumbling, distrusting, arguing, and defying the Lord, they eventually forfeited the right to enter the Land of Promise. Instead of enjoying the life they were intended to enjoy because of the Lord’s bounty, they died in despair in the wilderness.

The lesson from history is simply this: Don’t take God for granted. Don’t abuse his grace. Don’t test his patience. Those who do so may discover his wrath. And that would mean, as the Lord said, “they will never enter my place of rest” (Heb. 3:11). A relevant statement, whether or not you are interested in history! For if there is one thing people hope for, it is that they will eventually rest in peace.

Influence

Influence.  It is a curious thing...

We will make some kind of impact on nearly everyone around us - but we need to recognize that our level of influence is not the same with everyone.  And the reverse is true -  those we encounter will have varying degrees of influence and impact on us.

For example:  Why might one co-worker or family member seem to be more responsive to our input than another - even when we are attempting to communicate "the same thing" with both?  Why does a certain teacher or preacher seem to be better able to "really hit me" with their words and actions better than others - even when they might not know that they are?  Why is it that skepticism or indifference can arise in the heart of one person - when excitement and inspiration are stirred in the heart of another - and BOTH people are sharing the same experience?

Learn to be a student of influence.  And may we all care about being a good and Godly steward of it.

Be thankful for the impact that God allows you to have in the lives of others - and be careful to never abuse it or take it for granted.  Be appreciative of those friends and authors neighbors and artists and family members and even strangers - that truly have been influential enough to change your actions and behaviors - especially for the better.

Influence is a SUCH broad topic - there are so many kinds of influence to consider - but for now, let's just put this idea on our radar:

God has given us the capacity and the ability to deeply influence each other's lives - or not?

Yes.  What a curious thing it is indeed...

Back at it...

I am excited to get back on track with this blog...  Sorry I have not "leaned in to it" for several months...!!

------------------------------

A quick snippet that caught my attention earlier today --  A LOT of leaders need to lighten up.  Take a deep breath and remember that no matter how serious your work is, that is no reason to take yourself too seriously...

Again:  Don't take yourself too seriously!

It is always easy to think that we are FAR more important than we really are.  If you think you might be guilty of this, then give yourself - and everyone around you - a break!

The practical application is: Laugh!!

Laughter breaks down barriers and builds relationships.  Being too grave and "grumpy-frumpy" often has the exact opposite effect.

I love this quote:  "Laughter is the shortest distance between two people."  -Victor Borge

Laughter also builds resilience.  Laughter affords us a quicker way to get up and get going again when we have been knocked down.

So - Remember we all need to take a "chill pill" every once in awhile.  Don't take yourself, your work, even your ministry - however vitally important they might really be - so seriously that you lose your sense of humor and the ability to laugh!!

Check out what happened to one of the world's best known and important preachers - the Rev. Billy Graham:

The Reverend Billy Graham tells of a time early in his ministry when he arrived in a small town to preach a sermon.  Wanting to mail a letter, he asked a young boy where the US Post Office was.  When the boy told him, Dr. Graham thanked him and said, "If you'll come to the Church this evening, you can hear me telling everyone how to get to Heaven."


"I don't think I'll be there," the boy said.  "You don't even know your way to the Post Office."

The Word You Can Count On:

Proverbs 17:22 - "A merry heart does good, like medicine."

The REAL Leadership Edge is...

Attitude.  (A good one!)

What do you think of the following "Leadership Math"?

ABILITIES    +  ATTITUDE           =  RESULT
Great Talent   +  Rotten Attitude       =  Bad Team
Great Talent   +  Bad Attitudes         =  Average Team
Great Talent   +  Average Attitudes  =  Good Team
Great Talent   +  Good Attitudes      =  Great Team

The key "edge" found in fantastic leaders and teams is not Aptitude as much as it is Attitude!  Think of any good or great team you have been on or know of...  Does the above "test" true in your experience and observation?

There might be a few that would argue this notion and say that remarkable talent is the edge.  Giftedness does play a role - but I would say that there are plenty of truly talented and gifted people and teams that never really accomplished anything significant - because of lousy attitudes...

You've heard it before - but it still rings true:  Get rid of the "stinking thinking" - in yourself and in the teams you serve and work with.  Attitude Adjustments made for the better often produce the greatest and most God-honoring results...

The Word You Can Count On:
Proverbs 29:12 - "When a leader listens to malicious gossip, all the workers get infected with evil"  (The Message)
Colossians 3:12-14 - "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these things put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."

Looking Back at Dallas...

The RightNow Leadership Conference that we attended in Dallas from Nov. 2-4 was simply spectacular!  Hard to believe we have been back for 4 days already...

As I reflect on this opportunity, the MAIN impressions that remain with me are:

1)  Let's not forget to tell and live out the Story of Christ - the GOSPEL!!  It really is the greatest Story ever told.  It has the power to transform our lives - and our eternity.

2)  What a deep joy to be in the presence of the GIFT of Biblical Preaching and Teaching.  The speakers we heard were unbelievably powerful!!  Yes, this Gift is attached to people - but we are NOT to give glory to these individuals, but to the GOD that gifted them with the ability to clearly proclaim HIS Word and Truth.  And Godly Teachers will always remind us of that...

3)  Ministry TEAMS need to "get away" on occasion to become more so...  Healthy Relationships among those that are called to serve God together don't happen automatically.  Sometimes the BEST thing you can do to inspire and encourage your Team is to go on a Road Trip together!!

4)  God wants us to pursue "Faith-Based Work, NOT a Work-Based Faith".

5)  A personal "Aha!" from a breakout session:  I can serve God and Nazareth well - and better - by launching ministry efforts that will probably FAIL.  (!!)  Why?  Because God can turn these failures into learnings and lessons that are "Developmental GOLD"!

Yes - "Mountain Top" experiences (like this Conference) are wonderful and needed - but it's important to note that nothing really grows "up there".  God is SO eager - and able - to produce His Fruit IN us and THROUGH us.  How?  By understanding that God wants us to live faithfully for Him - in the VALLEY...