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.

 

APRIL 1 – LEAD THROUGH AFFIRMATION

 And the Lord, God said to Moses, “I will do exactly what you have asked of me because you are special to me. You have found grace and favor in my sight. You have made a name for yourself with me. (Exodus 33:17)

               This word God spoke to Moses was His response to Moses’ clear recognition that he could not lead, his people could not achieve God’s future for them, and the world would not come to know God by their work – unless they followed God’s plan each step of their way. In that response to Moses, the Lord directly affirmed the humility, the love, and the desire for unity that had come to dominate Moses’ character. These characteristics are what God values, and so they are what God affirmed.

                God still values uncommon character. Through your words, He will give affirmation to those you lead as they live up to the values you have defined and taught to them. This recognition will emphasize the importance of those values as standards for your group, and it will give hope to your people as they move forward toward the vision God has given you to pursue together.

                Watch for, listen to hear, and then recognize those who live toward the vision with character. Give God’s word of affirmation to them.

MARCH 31 – TIME TOGETHER BUILDS TRUST

 Continually, every day, all day long encourage each other, so that not one of you become hardened by sin’s lies. (Hebrews 3:13)

                Your presence speaks loudly. Are there corners of your organization you do not know? No matter how large your group, or how widely they are separated by distance, culture, and other barriers, you must know them. If you are to lead them well, they must also know you.

                  This passage speaks of a relationship in which you are fully present, attentive, and prayerful for God’s words of encouragement. Especially if your time together is brief, or infrequent, you must watch and listen carefully and actively, resisting the temptation to defend, accuse, or even express opinions.  When you watch and listen in this way, the Holy Spirit will give understanding of the emotion and fears that you observe. At times, the act of simply affirming that you understand what they tell you will bring hope and encouragement to them. Listening to people is a powerful way to earn their trust.

              You are limited only by God’s creative Spirit, who will lead you to the answer for your people. Ask Him today how you can best come to know, to spend time with, and to encourage your people. Your group’s prosperity will be based on the trust that will come.

MARCH 30 – ENGAGE PEOPLE TRANSPARENTLY

 The word of God has life! It is powerfully effective, like the most dominant weapon. God’s word disarms men and women at their deepest core, and speaks knowing every thought and attitude of the human heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

                God gives you a vision for the people whom He calls you to lead. This vision is a future He has prepared for you, and for those people to live into. If you will lead them effectively, you must openly, transparently give them His word as He leads you to do that. John Wesley once said, “Light yourself on fire with passion, and people will come from miles to watch you burn.” Does your life “burn” with passion for giving God’s word to others?

                Give your people God’s plan - His words and His vision for your life - as your deepest, most heart-felt desire. This word from God will resonate within those whom He is calling to respond in faith and join with you. You will see them change as they find their place in the work of the vision. Your openness will invite them to speak clearly and courageously with others. There is no other touch like this! The Word of God can convict, challenge, heal, and calm all at once.

                Have the courage to speak God’s transforming word – clearly, openly; transparently – today.

MARCH 29 – LIVE THE VISION WITH SERVICE

 Each of you, in a way that reflects that you have been given all you are from God, be good stewards of His abundant grace! These gifts are given so you can use them to love others and to serve them. (1 Peter 4:10)

               The most powerful way to convey the vision God has given you to those whom you lead is to simply live your life following that vision. Peter speaks clearly. You should be focused on using your life, and everything else you have been given by God, to show His love for other people. Jesus lived this truth (John 15:13), and Paul also encouraged it (Galatians 5:13-14). Jesus clearly said, “If you want to be a leader, your life will be about serving other people (Matthew 23:11).” If this is true, then shouldn’t each moment of your day be a search for each of the people whom the Lord wants you to serve?

                Your life’s aim will then be to actively work to bring hope and help to these people whose needs you have been sent to serve. So, it is – Your service is how you live that vision you are being given by Jesus each day.   

                As you walk slowly among your people, listen and look for the needs that the Holy Spirit will reveal to you. Ask Him how He would have you to serve the person you find. Then serve. Your gift of yourself to serve that person is how others will be drawn to the work of the vision you pursue.

MARCH 28 – PERFECT IS BETTER

 Now go. I – I AM with your mouth. I have already spoken what will be spoken by you. (Exodus 4:12)

               There is a quote of Voltaire often paraphrased, “Perfect is the enemy of good.” Several arguments could be raised either to support or oppose this saying. Before you weigh in, you may want to compose your definition of perfect. If you knew that you could have perfect much more easily than only good, would you not want to pursue perfect?

               God has answered several excuses, complaints, and objections that Moses has offered as he tried to avoid the responsibility of accepting God’s calling. Now, God says to him, “I don’t care if you’re a good speaker, because I will be doing the talking.” Moses’ (maybe) good was going to be replaced by God’s perfect. That offer is available to you today. Jesus promised that, even when you are placed before people who want to harm you, “Your Father will speak through you (Matthew 10:20).” Just like Moses, your only responsibility is to go when and where the Holy Spirit tells you to go. Your obedience; your will to be used, is enough. God will speak. God’s word is Truth (John 17:17). God’s word is Life (John 6:63). Without God and His way, you can’t even hope for good (Psalm 16:2). So, when you think about it, perfect as described here, should be only.

               Perfect is not the enemy of good. Hold out for God’s perfect, so that He will say that your work is, “Very good.”