A Mark Of Greatness… Part 3

The life of Jesus is clearly an example of greatness, provided that we might follow in His steps. We have considered His compassion and His ability to discuss matters of importance.

This week, another area of greatness is found in the life of Jesus: His suffering. Jesus suffered on numerous occasions. He suffered verbally and physically.

The religious leaders were seeking to eliminate this threat to their position and power.

The ultimate suffering, however, did not come at the hands of the religious leaders, even though they instigated the procedure.

At the hands of Rome, Jesus would encounter suffering beyond imagination, as He was beaten, ridiculed, mocked with a crown of thorns, spit upon, scourged, and nailed to a cross.

Suffering is not often seen as greatness, rather a stumbling block and foolishness, but to those who are being saved it is the power of God.

The purpose of His suffering makes this act of leadership a mark of greatness.

As leaders today, the higher we go in leadership the greater the sacrifice we must make. Suffering will be a mark of greatness for leaders.

Leadership Thought Of The Day…

“Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.” John Wooden

Mr. Wooden is famous for many reasons, one of which is his leadership thoughts that have been used frequently by leaders, especially coaches.

The thought he expresses here speaks to one of the most significant areas of leadership.

We have all seen people with great ability, college and professional athletes, musicians, and others in the Hollywood / Broadway entertainment field. We have also known those with great ability but little character.

Without character, regardless of the ability, it is impossible to have lasting leadership. Nothing could be more true in connection to spiritual leaders.

Perhaps the major difference is the idea of being at the top, because spiritual leadership is about the humility to be at the bottom and to remain humble enough to stay there.

This is where leadership character is built.

When spiritual influence is guided by a humble spirit, character seems to naturally follow. The combination of the two provides the staying power of a Christlike leadership needed today.

What Makes A Leader Familiar?

Familiarity can be a double-edged sword. On one hand, the more familiar we are with the person or circumstance, the easier it is to take advantage of the situation, have an unhealthy level of contentment, or develop a lesser sense of urgency.

On the other hand, having familiarity instills confidence in the consistency of character or desired outcomes, especially when we talk about leadership.

Developing a familiarity between leaders and followers takes time and a process that involves several key factors.

A mutual respect for the life experiences of each other builds a stronger relationship of trust in the common goals and expectations of the group.

Another critical component to familiarity is to share life experiences with each other. The biblical teaching of “weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice” must be applied.

Create an open door policy that contributes to the approachability of everyone involved. Achieving this task is not easy, but the results bring lasting leadership.

More could be said, but how we address familiarity can hinder or strengthen our leadership.

Avoiding The Negativity…

The title of the post today begs the question of possibility. Is it possible in our culture to avoid negativity? The answer is, no!

We cannot completely avoid negativity. Sadly, we are surrounded by it. We often face so much negativity it is difficult to see much positive.

Since we cannot avoid negativity, what can we do to limit its influence?

First, prayer is where it all starts. God promises to answer, so why not begin at His throne and seek guidance in overcoming the issue.

Second, focus on spending time with people who are positive. If we struggle to deal with negativity, a good dose of optimism from friends is a another place to help.

Third, the material we read and the messages we hear need to ring with optimism. Turning off the television is a positive beginning point. Read a good book…hey, the Bible is a good thought.

Fourth, commit to saying at least five positive things every day. Once we are comfortable doing five, increase the number by five more.

Much more could be done, but this will get us going in a positive direction.

Leadership Word Of The Week…Sanity

Perhaps you are familiar with the idea of insanity: “doing the same things in the same way and expecting different results.”

As amazing as it may sound, we often practice a level of insanity when approaching our leadership, we want to do the same things the way we have always done them, yet we expect different results.

Our culture has changed. Demographics have changed. We have changed, whether we want to admit it or not.

What we need is a little sanity. By definition, the idea of sanity speaks of reasonable and rational behavior. Now there are two powerful words for leaders to learn.

The thought expressed does not mean we never take risks, nor does it mean we are unwilling to make changes.

The thought behind sanity involves making sure we are investigating the right facts, considering the pros and cons, and implementing change with a reasonable approach for what is best for the whole.

We are not talking about something that is unscriptural, but rather not being tied to the traditions of men as binding for eternity.

Sanity or insanity: that is the question.