APRIL 8 – KNOW YOUR PEOPLE

 But Jesus didn’t give full trust to them, because of their words, because He knew people. Nor did He need anyone else to tell Him about each one, because He knew them at a heart level; who they were at their core (John 2:24-25)

                How could Jesus know? Is it possible for you to really know your people? Or, is that out of your reach; something only God can do? Well, yes. Yes, this level of knowing other people is out of your reach, but also, yes – it is possible for you to really know your people this way.

               Jesus explained how this is possible. He said that even He could do nothing, except as the Father gave Him understanding (John 5:19, et al). This is because God knows people’s hearts. He knows their nature. He can tell you if they have truly changed (1 Samuel 16:7). So, the Father can be trusted to give you this understanding as you listen to and observe people at all levels of your organization. As you relate to God through His Spirit in you, He also will give you the actions and the words that will bring hope and belief to those same people He has called you to serve. You must engage with them directly, face-to-face, but as you do so - never lose sight of God’s face.

                Commit to the work of relating to your people, as you relate to the Lord. This will give you the understanding to lead your people well.

APRIL 7 – EXPECTATIONS

 If you walk in the path I have shown you, and value the commands I give you and do what I say, then… (Leviticus 26:3)

                God speaks clearly about the results He expects. The answer is always the same. He requires that you walk in the way He has prepared, you recognize the words He speaks to be Truth, and you spend your Life following Him; obeying what He asks. This is the Lord’s clear expectation for each man and woman He creates.

                In a very similar way, an effective leader will communicate his or her expectations in a clear, complete, and appropriate way to each, individual member of his or her community. There can be no accountability unless you provide each person with a definition of the role that individual will play and the responsibilities that come with the role. Have you done the hard work of asking God to help you see His individualized plans for your responsibility to lead each of your people? Have you modeled and taught them to give clear-cut expectations to those whom they influence? The job of a leader is to build other leaders who also learn how to follow God’s plan.

               Ask God today to give you clarity of thought and the voice to communicate His will to the people you lead.

APRIL 6 – REPETITION

 Store my words deep in your heart and soul. Make them part of every work of your hand and every thought. Teach them to your children, and tell everyone about them, whatever you’re doing, from sun up to bedtime. Post my word everywhere you look. (Deuteronomy 11:18-20)

                Repetition. The name of the book Deuteronomy means repeated law. Not surprisingly, Moses repeats the law in it – repetitively. In this passage, he urges different ways to not only repeat God’s word all the time, but to work His word into every part of life; home, work, sleeping, waking, working, and thinking. God knows you intimately. He created you. So, He knows how important repetition is to the formation of habits that mold your character. Understanding the importance of repetition will then help you in teaching His word to those you lead.

                The words that describe vision and mission for your people, and the words God gives to be their values and principles in the work they are to do together, must be taught and blessed. They should be present everywhere. These words also must be lived. They must become the default system for each process, challenge, and opportunity if you are to lead a group of people to become a real community.

                Repeat God’s word! Again, repeat God’s word!

APRIL 5 – ACTIONS OR WORDS

 I remember Lord. You have saved me from death, have brought me through sorrow, and have kept me from failures. All this, so that I may obey and live for you while I’m on this earth. I will keep on believing, and I will speak, even when I suffer greatly. (Psalm 116:8-10)

                As the Psalmist relates, God can be trusted. Citing this passage, Paul explains to the people in Corinth (1 Corinthians 4:13) that this foundational belief is at the root of action. You, and your people will act based upon what you believe is true.

 What you do, especially as you “suffer greatly,” facing challenges and dangers, will show your people what you really believe. And, other people act based upon what they believe. They know they will prosper most by pleasing the leader. So, they usually will instinctively adjust what they do to what you show them you believe. If your words conflict with your actions, people will be confused, uncertain, and often will even feel that you have lied to them.

In the end, do you have the humility to see times when you have acted in conflict with your core beliefs? Are you strong enough to acknowledge those failures? Do you love your people enough to correct the error? Act as if their lives depend upon it.

APRIL 4 – EVERYWHERE YOU GO

You will receive great power from the Holy Spirit when He comes to you and lives in you. Then, you will tell everyone I send you to all about me; each one, no matter where they are in the world. (Acts 1:8)

                How far is your reach? You may think of each group you see regularly. Maybe you’d count only those in the smaller circles of family, friends, and closest business associates. If you lead an organization, your extended reach is to the far corners of the world. Each person led or influenced by you has influence over others in their geographical location, business relationships, family, and other interests. Also, you may never personally know all the people who will be affected by your obedience when the Lord sends you to a person.

The implications of this reality are many. Each one tells you a little about God’s plans. His plans are bigger, more complex, further-reaching, longer-term, and they affect far more people than you can imagine. As you speak one specific word of God’s encouragement to a person or group, that word begins to travel to the far corners of your organization, and even to the ends of the world.

Begin today to take seriously each opportunity the Spirit presents for you to take Christ to the ends of the world. 

APRIL 3 – EVERYTHING YOU DO

I know what you do. You’ve got this great reputation for being alive with God’s Spirit, but your actions betray you. You are not doing the work God gave you to do. Wake up. Begin where you are, and carefully pursue the Lord’s plan. (Revelation 3:1-2)

               There is nothing that causes faith or hope to be shattered more quickly than for a leader who is trusted to act in a way that is inconsistent with his or her reputation for good character. The Spirit tells the church at Sardis that He sees beyond the reputations they no doubt earned with their prior deeds. He tells this church that today’s reality is that they have lost their way.

               There is great danger in success. Especially when people begin to tell you how good you are. You may become tempted to believe them. If you rest upon your victories and faithfulness of yesterday, and begin to feel that you no longer need God’s leadership each moment, you will mess up. It is only a matter of time. The only source of good is to obey the vision that comes from the Lord. Your people will quickly lose their way, if you begin to take on God’s role in planning the way forward. As a leader, everyone is watching you. Some are hoping you will fail. Some are depending on you to be faithful and to hold them accountable. But, all of them are watching anxiously.

               Be sure to lead them toward the future that God has prepared, so that each of them has a chance to succeed.

APRIL 2 – FOLLOWERS ARE PEOPLE TOO

 … You are favored by God because I (Jesus) was hungry and you fed me, thirsty and you gave me a drink, alone and you asked me to join you… (Matthew 25:34-35)

                Jesus is saying, “You looked at the people around you who were overlooked by everyone else. Those who could not possibly help you are the ones you were attentive to, and you searched for what they needed. Then, you gave it to them. You valued all these people; my people. You did it the way that I told you to do it, and the Father loves you for doing this.”

                The purest expression of love is the act of giving a gift to one who cannot repay you. All around you, every day, you will see people, and each of those people have needs. Often the poorest of our society have no place to stand, and very often the rich have found isolation and loneliness to be the price of their wealth. Many people live in self-made prisons, or they have been captured by disease – either physical or mental. Jesus loves each one of these people. He knows each person by name, and he values each one of them as special creations of His Father, God. Do you?

                Stop. Look around you today. Ask God who needs your gift of love.