“Flowers only bloom when they are ready. People are the same way. You cannot rush or force them open just because you think it’s time. Be patient.” Timber Hawkeye

This is a beautiful analogy of what is needed in leadership. Successful leadership does not consist of leading people in the same way because people are not the same.

The principles of leadership never change. People, however, learn and advance differently. There are those who pick up on the process quickly, while others learn at a slower pace. An effort to rush or force them into places or positions when and where they are not ready only creates frustration for everyone involved.

While patience is a virtue that most everyone desires to have “right now,” the ability to demonstrate patience in the development of others is a treasured quality of leaders.

The beauty of patience, when demonstrated by leaders, is that followers are encouraged to develop in ways that reach their greatest potential.

Last week, a short devotional addressed the positive nature of change. In discussing the lesson afterwards, two reasons were shared why people are apprehensive to change:

1) They feel that change will cause them to lose something from the past they want to hold on to. The idea is that if they change, the structure, concept, or approach will be lost.

2) The second reason is fear: fear of the unknown, fear of uncertainty, or a fear of losing control.

However, the nature of change brings several positive qualities.

Questions are generated for gaining a better perspective in prioritizing our purpose in moving forward.

Change leads to improvement. Becoming more Christ-like requires us to change.

We rally together in a unified effort to work for a common purpose.

Change creates firsts we have never experienced which bring enjoyment and satisfaction.

Our faith is bolstered as we move into the unknown or sense a loss of control. We learn to trust God for strength.

Additionally, change brings an air of excitement and enthusiasm.

The lesson concluded with this incredible thought: “Embrace change, for it is the stuff of a brighter tomorrow.”

The road of life has highs and lows. There are times we are on top of the mountain and there are other times we walk through the valley.

David understood this as he penned the words of the twenty-third Psalm.

What stands out from this Psalm is David’s understanding of what was ahead of him, not behind. He knew that even though he walked through the “valley of the shadow of death,” God was with him and he would dwell with God forever.

As leaders, we are messengers of hope. People can endure just about anything if they know there is something better ahead. They need hope something will be better.

The challenge is learning how to help others see that our hope is not based in a promise of a better physical life, but something beyond this life and beyond compare.

This kind of hope was the driving force of the early church, even in the face of death.

Paul indicated this kind of hope saves us because with it we will endure.

Better things are ahead, maybe not in this life, but God holds eternity.

Where are we going? Do we know? What will we do to get there? How will we know when we arrive?

When traveling we understand the need to have a map – at least a plan – to reach our destination in a proper amount of time.

Physically, we make application of this daily. What happens when we think in terms of spiritual matters is a completely different story. The spiritual approach, however, is no different. We know the destination and we desire to get there. We are anticipating the arrival, but do we know what needs to be done to get there?

If we are not careful, it is easy to get so caught up in the physical areas of life we think less about the spiritual and expect God to just “take care of it.”

Since our destination is heaven, the map / plan God has provided is laid out through the pages of His word.

We would think someone is foolish not to follow a map to a destination they have never been before. If so, then how much more foolish when the eternal destination is far more consequential?

How much money is spent regularly on a chance to win the lottery or mega millions?

Regardless of the odds, most people believe they have a shot to win. For those who do win, the responsibility that accompanies these winnings is overwhelming.

Turn the page and consider the odds of hearing the Gospel. What chance is there, out of all the people on the planet who have never even heard the name of Jesus, you and I heard it?

Why were we blessed with the opportunity to hear the Gospel when so many in the world hear an altered version if they hear it at all?

Maybe this is the first time we have considered these questions, however, we need to recognize the responsibility that comes with this opportunity.

Should we keep it to ourselves? Can we really go through each day without considering the numbers of those who walk through life unaware of what awaits in eternity?

As Christians, we are blessed among all people. This blessing is one meant to be shared, leading others to a hope of something beyond what even winning millions of dollars offers.

“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. So if you’re feeling uncomfortable right now, know that the change taking place in your life is a beginning, not an ending.” Neale Donald Walsch

The thought today is personally challenging. Getting out of the rut to think or try something new or different is not usually on the agenda.

Interestingly, the success of leadership depends on the ability, or maybe the flexibility, to recognize the limits of our comfort zone and the life that begins at that point.

Remember the definition of insanity: doing the same things in the same way, yet expecting different results.

The main reason behind our “insanity” is known as the comfort zone. We do this because it is where we operate most comfortably.

Imagine the change in following God on the part of the Jewish nation after 1,500+ years of the same approach, and now something far different than what they were comfortable with was occurring.

Leadership operates the same. We are not talking unscriptural, but when ideas and plans are introduced that make us uncomfortable, maybe life is just beginning.

The idea of “the glory of the Lord” is found approximately 24 times in the Old Testament. The expression is generally connected to the tabernacle or temple.

The glory of the Lord appeared in the tent of meeting where Moses spoke with God “face to face.” We also find the glory of the Lord filling the temple at the completion and dedication given by Solomon. Even Isaiah saw the earth full of His glory as the temple filled with smoke.

The appearing of God’s glory in these ways indicates the desire of God to dwell among and with His people. The greatest indication of this is found in the incarnation of Jesus.

John records, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” Jn. 1:14. The coming of Jesus opened our understanding to Immanuel, “God with us.”

How powerful to consider His presence at every step in our journey through life.
How beautiful to consider the way He works through us to be present in leading others.

Go on and admit it. You thought I would post something about April Fool’s Day yesterday, and there was nothing. Maybe it was planned and maybe it wasn’t. Perhaps it seemed trickier to do the post today.

The majority who read the post today remember growing up playing those little pranks on friends, family, or teachers and followed it up by saying, “April Fool’s.”

Generally, these pranks were harmless attempts to get people to look at or believe something that did not exist.

Growing up these childish games faded and April 1st became another day like other days. So, what is the point?

When we examine the nature of our leadership, is it more like an April Fool’s prank? Do we pretend to be something we are not? Do we really understand the seriousness of our influence and its affect on others? An honest evaluation helps us determine who is fooling who.

We can fool some of the people some of the time. We might fool most of the people most of the time. We may even fool ourselves, but we cannot fool God. Lead with God in view.

Chip and Dan Heath published a book several years back titled Made To Stick. The real take away from the book is learning how to communicate ideas, messages, or strategies that “stick” in people’s minds.

Change is always challenging and the ability to communicate in ways that transform people’s thoughts and actions is needed in leadership.

Think about books, articles, people or situations, we remember vividly, while there are others that are forgotten. Why? What is it about one situation that we remember so easily and others we forget?

Leaders need to learn how to communicate the message, the goals, and the vision in ways that is sticky, helping others remember the purpose of the journey.

The Heath’s share six ideas that indicate when the communication is simple, unexpected, concrete, credible, emotional, and built in story format, people tend to remember.

This post is not designed, nor do we have the space to cover each of these in detail, but if we all think about the books, articles, people or situations we remember, there is an element of each of these six ideas included.

As we conclude this series we consider one final mark of greatness demonstrated by Jesus: His confidence in twelve men to turn the world upside down.

Jesus taught, encouraged, admonished, and equipped these men in preparation for the work He commissioned them to fulfill.

Looking at how Jesus individualized these four words, the lessons are powerful for leadership greatness today.

Teach: People only do the work they are taught to do. One of the areas where teaching / preaching falls short is application. We are good at giving the information and sharing the imperatives, but “how” do we do it? When this information is taught, we all learn how to fulfill the task.

Encourage: The power behind encouragement motivates people to work harder than before. When criticism is tempered with encouragement people change.

Admonish: Warning, advising, or even reprimanding others is needed to prevent harm from occurring in their lives. The attitude behind admonition determines the reception.

Equip: Providing the necessary tools to fulfill the given task and responsibility is vital to the success of followers, especially in preparing them to lead.