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.

“Wisdom is learning to let go when you want to hang on. Courage is learning to hang on when you want to let go.” Mark Amend

The subjects of wisdom and courage have warranted discussion on many levels for a long time. These two qualities or attributes are critical to the development of leaders.

The quote today adds a dimension to these qualities that challenges our understanding of how to apply them in our leadership.

How many projects have we held on to that were destructive, when wisdom said we should have let go long before?

How many times have we let go when the courage to hang on one more day or week would have delivered success?

The challenge is developing the posture of learning. Wisdom and courage provide great benefit when we learn from them.

Learning to let go even when our emotions are telling us something contrary and learning to hang on when the appearance of letting go makes sense are foundational components to demonstrating wisdom and courage.

Spiritual leadership today needs to learn the potent combination of these two attributes.

Decisions are part of life. Every day is filled with making decisions. Sometimes the decisions are quick and easy to make. Other times they are difficult and require a great deal more thought.

We would understand that many decisions have little consequence: what to eat for breakfast, what clothes to wear, etc.

Other decisions, however, carry great consequence: the choice of a spouse, where we live, our occupation, raising children, etc.

There is one decision that is extremely consequential and that is the decision to follow Christ. This one decision should be the foundation for all other decisions.

As leaders, we carry a responsibility that is twofold: 1) we must be about leading others to this decision of following Christ, and 2) we must also lead others to make every decision that guides their life based on that one decision.

The next time we think a decision through, let us take a moment to determine how this decision will influence others and if it will fit within this twofold responsibility as a leader for Christ.

Is there really a difference between a “reason” and an “excuse?” We have all heard someone say, “I’m not making up an excuse, there is a good reason why…”

When we consider the time we take to pray and study God’s word, what single reason would we give for not being more dedicated to this time?

When we examine how we live our life: the words we use, attitude we display, places we visit, how we treat our family, and our attendance to worship, what single reason would we give for the choices we make?

When we think about our allegiances to friends and family, what single reason would we give for placing those allegiances above our loyalty and faithfulness to God?

I could ask many questions, and the convicting nature of these questions is aimed at me first and foremost.

If asking them helps you to consider your relationship with God, then this post has been successful. Please know our time, life, and allegiances all need greater consideration as we must one day give an account for how we prioritize them.

Light is defined as “a source of illumination.” Light, however, is so much more when we consider what it actually does and what it symbolizes for spiritual leaders.

We could say that light is simply the absence of darkness; “God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all.”

Jesus claimed to be the “light of the world.” He also said His disciples were the “light of the world, a city set on a hill,” and followed this by saying, “let your light shine.”

Leaders need to be illuminating a vision that is built on our faith in God and His word.

Our light needs to shine forth the example of Jesus as it is revealed throughout the Gospels. When this happens, our good works are seen in such a way that others will glorify God.

A good study of light reveals that it is a key word in the Gospel of John. The next time you consider reading through one of the Gospels, highlight the word “light” in John. Then consider how the word is used in context and how it applies to our leadership.