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LIFESTYLE LEADERSHIP
Communication
EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP
The story is told about a mouse and an elephant that traveled
together for many years. One day they arrived at one of those hanging
rope bridges over a ravine and began to cross it together. As they
stepped on the bridge the ropes strained from the load and the wood
slats creaked and swayed in the wind. When they arrived on the other
side of the bridge, the mouse looked up at the elephant and said, "Boy
we really shook that bridge, didn't we?"
We, as Christians, many times fail to recognize the FACT that we
are chosen to have the CREATOR of the UNIVERSE along side each of us.
"If God be for us, who can stand against us?" As leaders, as
EKKLESIA, we need to be mindful of this fact in our lives.
Prayerfully we will look back after a "shaky bridge" of life and be
able to look at God and say the same words as that little mouse - "Boy
did WE really shake them up, Lord!"
One major area where many of us need special grace is in the area
of COMMUNICATION. God left His Word to allow us to be informed. WHY?
Because it is the very nature of God to inform His people of what is
necessary to allow us to perform our calling. The Psalmist tells us
that "He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the sons of Israel"
(Psalm 103:7).
"In the know" is a catch phrase used to designate a special group
of people with extra information not normally given to others. The
Leader of Christ's Kingdom should make certain that everyone that the
leader is in authority over, is assured a position of being "in the
know."
Turn to Colossians 4:7-9 and see what Paul told this body of
believers. Look at II Timothy 4:20. Look at Romans 16:21, and II
Timothy 4:11. Why does God through Paul allow so much Scripture to be
used to "update" some of the believers. WHY? To motivate or keep
them motivated? To involve them with what Paul was doing? To inspire
some additional prayer warriors? To show them they were important to
the Kingdom of God and His work in the world? ALL OF THE ABOVE! We
should take special note and put this concern for communication to
others in our heart. Our LIFESTYLE should reflect that we inform
those with whom we are working.
Proverbs 15:7 gives us the reverse to review. "The lips of the
wise spread knowledge, but the hearts of fools are not so." A wise
leader spreads the word - a fool does not. Pretty simple? The Truths
of God are in line with this truth, simple and clear. We, when we
give consideration to our own needs, realize that we have an
insatiable desire to know what is going to affect our lives, yet we
think that some people don't need to be "let in" on certain matters
until we deem it necessary. By so doing, we breed confusion and
misunderstanding and we demoralize those we are charged to lead.
We need to increase our ability to be pleasant. "Pleasant words
are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones" (Proverbs
16:24). A leader needs to inform the people with pleasant tones and
strive for the result that everyone involved will have high morale.
Solomon had many words on the different kinds of information that
a leader is to provide:
"A man has joy in an apt answer, and how delightful is a timely
word!" (Proverbs 15:23) There is a time to speak. If we jump the gun
and give information before the people are ready we may cause our
brother to stumble; yet if we wait too long, the "rumor mill" gets
into gear and causes disruptions. The leader must seek God's will and
plan and time. God will make certain that the leader is given what is
necessary to perform as God would desire. "Loyalty and truth
preserve the king, and he upholds his throne by righteousness"
(Proverbs 20:28). People will not, knowingly, follow a liar, anyone
who does not tell the full truth at all times. The leader who tells
the TRUTH in all situations creates an environment of trust, and God
uses this environment to move His kingdom forward. Even "white lies"
can prepare a road that people do not trust, and where people cannot
trust fully, people do not go. "The tongue of the wise makes
knowledge acceptable" (Proverbs 15:2). Too much, too soon can breed
many negative fruits. A Leader needs to pray continually for guidance
that he tells the necessary information to those under his charge and
does not "overload" the circuits by giving too much. The information
withheld cannot be vital information, but information that would not
assist the follower.
"The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, and adds persuasiveness
to his lips." Leaders motivated by their hearts are persuasive. How
many of you have been turned off by a leader quoting from so-and-so or
Dr. So-and-So? Leadership means that you have taken a position in
front and are ready to share what happens to you "up there" to those
behind you to show that God provides.
WHOLEHEARTEDNESS
Paul, again to the Colossians wrote: "Whatsoever ye do, do it
heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men." "Whatsoever thy hand
findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device,
nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave, whither thou goest"
(Colossians 3:23 & Ecclesiastes 9:10). God through two men of diverse
heritage and separated by many hundreds of years both spoke what God
told them to say - exhorting us to strive for the excellence and
wholeheartedness that God does EVERYTHING!
How do we respond, we say "Take it easy" or "Don't Burn Out" or
"Don't work too hard, buddy." This whole attitude is seen in the
world today and contributes to its mediocrity. We best be aware that
that is what lies ahead for us if we adopt this half- hearted
attitude. Our standards and our performance MUST be high. God set a
standard of PERFECTION. We must open our hearts to have Him produce
His PERFECT works through our wholehearted dedication to Him.
Jesus tells us today: "If any man will come after Me, let him
deny himself and take up his cross daily, and follow Me," and Jesus
MEANT every word of this passage! We as leaders are blessed that we
build for the present. What we do has present results. We must be
mindful that our LIFESTYLE also builds for the future. If our heart
is not TOTAL for the Lord, what will our "charges" be like? Fire is
the only thing that kindles fire. We are charged by Jesus to be the
igniters of the world, yet many of us think, "Well, I spent my hour of
devotion today, now I'll watch the football game!" In John 2:17, we
read the words "The zeal of Thine house hath eaten Me up." Can we
show the power of Christ and have the zeal of Christ? If not, then
who!?
Jesus also gave us the commandment of Mark 12:29-30. Read these
verses. They remain in His Word and are as valid TODAY as they were
when Jesus spoke them. In the Army, there is a saying: "When we play
men's games ONLY men will come to play." If we have a LIFESTYLE of
this standard of WHOLEHEARTEDNESS, we will attract those of like
desire.
SINGLE-MINDEDNESS
Everything in this world will pass away. Nothing is going to
remain! Two things will survive the events of Revelation, the Word of
God and the souls of mankind! Each of the leaders we read of in the
Scripture were not sidetracked from their chosen path, or were faint-
hearted because of overwhelming odds. Ridicule, opposition and even
death did not deter those who had given their whole heart to God and
were of one purpose - single-minded in purpose.
Our life is too short. James 4:14 gives us God's view. Keep
this in your minds and hearts. Hebrews 12:1-2 tells us where we are
to look. Turn there.
Everything that we do as 'sent' messengers and ambassadors of the
King is another reason for singlemindedness. I Corinthians 15:58
tells us "Therefore my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable,
always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as ye know THAT
YOUR LABOR IS NOT IN VAIN in the LORD." We are GUARANTEED that what
we do in service TO THE LORD is worth something EVERLASTING!
A rich woman had a dream about being allowed to walk on the
streets of heaven. She came to a large structure and asked who that
MANSION was being built for. She was told the name and she remarked,
"That is my gardener. He wastes his money on the poor and lives in a
small house. Why should he get such a house?" The workmen told her
to take the matter up with the Master Builder; so she proceeded down
the street. Shortly she came to another structure, very small and
shabby. She asked who that house was for and she was given a name.
She realized that it was HER NAME! She stated, "Why, I live in a big
mansion and have a big car and want for nothing. Why should I live
here?" Again she was told to take the matter up with the Master
Builder. She then dreamed she was before the Master Builder and asked
why the difference in buildings. The Master Builder looked her in the
eye, and tears were in His, when He said; "Daughter, I can only build
with what you send up here for me to use."
Luke tells us of the time that Jesus "Steadfastly set His face to
go to Jerusalem." Jesus is our best example, and Paul sets the course
in his letter to the Philippians (3:13-14). Read this passage. In
both instances, both knew what lay ahead of them. One, Jesus, was the
LEADER by LIFESTYLE and Paul, the follower of the Perfect Leader.
Paul elaborates in Acts 20:24. Read this passage. Now, I call your
attention to Colossians 4:17, where WE are told: "Say to Archippus (or
John, or Sally or ...), "Take heed to the ministry which thou hast
received in the Lord that thou may fulfill it."
Each of us is called to a LIFE and a LIFESTYLE to follow, a
mission to complete, a path to walk on without straying. We need God
and His indwelling power and strength to make it to the end, because
it IS HARD! Praise God that you have been chosen to lead where many
do not walk.
Computers For Christ - Chicago