Give & Take

In the Old Testament, a man named Joshua served at Moses' right hand for years. He studied at the side of a great man, observed his devotion to God, fought when it was necessary, and devoted himself to prayer. When Moses passed away Joshua became the new leader of the Israelites and led them into the Promised Land. Their example brings to mind two questions that all leaders need to answer:

1. Who is our Moses?

2. Who is our Joshua?

There isn't a leader that has "arrived" at the point of not needing a mentor and guide to invest in them. As I am fond of saying, "If you're still here, you ain't done yet!" The second question is equally as important as genuine Christian leaders realize the importance of equipping the next generation. We have a deep responsibility to submit to investment and accountability while we pour ourselves out into others. To do one without the other creates an egotistical, spiritually dehydrated leader that won't last and certainly won't leave a legacy.

Dream On

Remember the excitement of the dream that we used to have for our lives? 

• That overwhelming feeling when we first fell in love?
• The energetic sense of purpose when we discovered our passion?
• The wide-eyed enthusiasm when we were first called into ministry?
• The fire of renewal when we were baptized into Christ?

In those early moments we thought we could change the world. Even if the ideals set before us seemed bigger than we thought possible, they excited us. Sadly, our grandiose visions faded in the light of daily routine, disappointing life choices, and uninspiring results. Far too many of us become jaded and cynical of that type of enthusiasm and even ended up dousing the fiery dreams of others in the process.

How do we recapture this passionate motivation? The process of growth means that newness will wear off and we'll have to be fueled by something more than initial uniqueness. The key is in not fooling ourselves into thinking that our own strength is the backbone of our relationships and endeavors. When we take our eyes off of our miraculous God and fix them on our mundane circumstances, we're guaranteed to fall short of our own expectations. It's our fault that we have lulled ourselves into a dreamless sleep. 

Shifting our vision back to God's never ending energy and divinity will restore our excitement for each part of our calling. His sovereign plan and loving supply of vision and energy will surpass all that we can imagine to begin with.

Each One

We have to learn to take advantage of every opportunity to have a positive impact in other's lives. We won't necessarily be able to do this in totality, but we can commit to taking advantage of each one that we are aware of. As we seize these moments and recognize the blessing we are to others (and the resulting benefit that we personally experience) we will miss less of them. It's a stair step effect brought on by noticing people (family, co-workers, classmates, neighbors, community) and eagerly seeking a way to impact their life through blessing. Before we realize it this will not be a chore, but an integral part of our lifestyle.

Partnership

I recently wrote on the oft-neglected discipline of thinking and how we need to set aside specific time to invest in our mental creativity. I firmly believe in this truth, but also find that we can end up

spending so much time in thought that we neglect our need for action. It's a reflection of our detrimental habit of overemphasizing one end of the decision making "see-saw" to the point of abandoning other equally important disciplines. It's a fine balancing act that involves spending adequate time creatively and carefully thinking things through and then pulling the trigger on a plan of action to bring them into fruition. It's a synergistic relationship that creates positive momentum and brings enjoyment to the journey.

Neither step is necessarily more important than the other, but ignoring either step will leave you flat on the ground or stuck in the air desperate for movement.

Bit By Bit

We had a clean up day at Northridge today with 35 dedicated souls, which was extremely productive

for a three hour period of hard work. It gave us the time to get some new things done, but to also deep clean and spruce up areas that had been neglected for some time. It's often easy to let things go for a while, but eventually the mess becomes great enough to do something about it. The problem with waiting and allowing it to progressively worsen is that it takes longer to get it back to normal. If we'd just work at it a little bit at a time we'd find it stays in better condition and doesn't take a comprehensive, intense cleaning session to improve it.

Sounds like a lot of different things in our lives, doesn't it?

Mind Games

I believe in the positive impact of conversation. I find that I am sharpened in the interaction with

other like-minded (and not like-minded) people and the differing viewpoints we all bring. I am also challenged by the things that I read whether it be in books, blogs, or articles. New ideas and interesting glances of old standards cause me to reevaluate the way that I look at things. I also expand my horizons through my own writing whether in blog or journal form. All of these are good ways to change my mindset and steer me in new directions.

These other principles are key for mental development yet the discipline that we often forget to emphasize is the practice of thinking. I don't mean using our thoughts as we run through our day, but focused time that is set aside to meditate and cognitively create. It's a directed, intentional process of meditation that allows our creative juices to flow and stretch the boundaries of what we normally think on. An effective leader will carve out quiet moments to reflect on the past, evaluate the present, and imagine the future. It's this time of thinking that inspires us and gives us glimpses of a potential preferred future. For success in our thoughts that results in productivity we will need to intentionally schedule "think sessions" and use our mental capabilities more effectively.

Desire

In my different areas of calling (restaurant, teacher, athletics, ministry) I have noticed a common theme in most people that I interact with--they possess an innate desire to be better. I think that it exists in all of us,

but some people simply choose to ignore it. When it grips us we find ourselves torn between the reality of our current state and an ideal that we are striving to live up to. It can be an ambition for personal/group success, the drive to be a stronger leader, or an overwhelming passion for becoming a better parent and spouse. It can be measured in sales and income, athletic records and championships, relationships with other people and transformation in demeanor and expressions of personality.

The dividing line of success and failure is found in those that refuse to overlook this inner tension, but are willing to create patterns of life change that appease this hunger. Conquerors of mediocrity will seek the counsel and accountability of others to help them through the process of transformation while being actively involved in personal, disciplined behavioral changes. 

Addressing the desire for improvement is merely an appetizer to the main course of diligent, directed faithfulness that facilitates growth.