Coffee With The Lord

Here’s a couple of good questions for Christians:  Am I using or abusing my freedom in Christ?  Am I flaunting or facilitating the freedom I have to serve others?…

This came to mind as I read Apostle Paul’s words this morning…

“THOUGH I AM FREE AND BELONG TO NO ONE, I HAVE MADE MYSELF A SLAVE TO EVERYONE, TO WIN AS MANY AS POSSIBLE. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.  I DO ALL THIS FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOSPEL, that I may share in its blessings.” (From 1 Corinthians 9:19–23 NIV)

I don’t know about you, but I want to use the freedom I have in Christ to serve others and effectively communicate the gospel to them, don’t you?

A periodic devotional reflection on leadership from Scripture…

What is a key responsibility of a middle-management leader? How about the responsibility of a successor to a “founder” type leader?

I’d like to suggest one key responsibility is defending and sustaining the core values of the organization. In my Bible reading this morning I read the story of how Aaron, Moses brother, left in charge of the Israelite congregation, sabotaged the core values that had recently been introduced by Moses and embraced by the entire Israelite congregation. (Exodus 32). What a failure in leadership! What a lack of integrity! What a spiritual wimp! What a critical leader lesson for those who aspire to be effective middle-management leaders or successors to “founder-leaders”!

Here are a few observations from the story that came to mind… (You may think of others…)

1) Left in charge, Aaron apparently, in his desire for acceptance (or his fear of rebellion among the rank-and-file”), compromised the core values of the organization.

2) It appears that the compromising strategy might have been an idea Aaron might have entertained earlier (given the speed with which it appears he suggested it).

3) What Aaron saw as simply a compromise, in order to deal with an emerging crisis or rebellion, actually led to a loss of control and the forfeiture of his ability to effectively lead the group.

4) Although Aaron apparently didn’t grasp it at the time, his lack of leadership – his failure to defend the core values that the Israelites had just embraced – actually undermined their unique identity as God’s chosen people – exclusively followers of Jehovah.

5) Aaron’s lack of integrity and failure as a leader, when brought under scrutiny, revealed itself in mere self-preservation and lies, thus disqualifying himself as an authentic, gifted leader who exhibited integrity.

All of this leads to two additional warnings to those of us who lead…

1. If you are a middle-management leader or the “successor” to a gifted or founding leader, you have an ethical responsibility to defend and protect from sabotage the core values of the organization!
2. If you are a key leader, be very careful about who you select as middle-management leaders and successors… do your best to assure yourself that they wholeheartedly embrace the core values of your organization.

Just an important “leadership lesson” that impressed itself on me today during “coffee with the Lord” … hope it helps somebody with leadership responsibility today. 🙂

A reflection on my Bible reading from the Psalms today (a repost)…

Have you ever pictured yourself as a “sheep in the Good Shepherd’s flock” and the Lord as the shepherd over the flock you’re a part of?  That is the unstated assumption of the 23^rd Psalm you know!  Come on, use your imagination – picture yourself as one of the sheep of His flock… and Him as your shepherd – the “Good Shepherd” (John 10… read it!)  I did this morning!!  Incredibly uplifting! Wonderfully peace bringing!  Let the pic I’ve posted make it live in your mind…

Listen, if you know Jesus, you’re one of the sheep in His flock … not the only one, but one of the “sheep” in His flock that is important to Him.  In fact, Luke’s gospel declares that if you, or any of the other sheep, would go astray He’d put everything else aside to seek you and find them (or you)! (Luke 15:1-8)  The 23^rd Psalm declares He provides for those who are a part of His flock, He leads them, satisfies their deepest hunger and thirst, He heals their wounds, walks with them through the valleys as dark as death, is their security and protector, and causes abundant lifelong blessing to come their way.  In fact, being a part of the Lord’s flock has as its benefit blessings that never end… in this life AND the life to come!

Here it is… A well-known, Bible favorite: Psalm 23 ESV

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.  He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever!”