Tag: Hope

Change…Hope

While there are many reasons people fear change, one is associated with loss. With change comes loss, generally the loss of something held dear: freedom, comfort, position, ego, etc.

Linda Ellerbee said, “What I like most about change is that it’s a synonym for ‘hope.’ If you are taking a risk, what you are really saying is, ‘I believe in tomorrow and I will be part of it.’”

What if change represented hope concerning our faith in tomorrow? Change is inevitable. Not all change is good, but not all change is bad either.

Leaders should instill hope in others, and it will involve some level of change.

Hand of Leadership

God’s hand holds consequence and reward. It creates fear and hope. The writer of Hebrews says it is a “terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” They also express how Jesus is sitting on the right hand of God, a place of prominence and power.

James also instructs us to humble ourselves “under the mighty hand of God.”

What does this have to do with leadership?

The hand of leadership provides hope and leads with humility.

There is prominence and power in the hand with which we lead. We have an opportunity to make a difference by the hand of a leader.

Encouraging Words

We cannot measure the impact of an encouraging word spoken at the right time. Yet, we can see the fruit born in the lives of those who receive it.

People need hope. They want to know they can overcome the obstacles encountered on this journey through life.

People want to know they are loved. Communicating in a language they understand takes many forms, but one that always carries weight is a word of encouragement.

Take a moment each day to write a note, make a call, or stop and speak to someone who can use a little encouragement and watch the difference it makes.

Learning In Community

Few times are more exciting than sitting around a table with others to collaborate ideas. Discussing and planning every area of life serves to improve leadership.

These times provide inspiration by gleaning from the wisdom and experience of those closest to us. Here we find guidance from others who care most for us. They desire to see us succeed.

Spiritually, few opportunities are more important than to examine ways to strengthen the church and lead others to a greater hope.

The change in life that makes the greatest difference in who we are and what we do is born from the benefits of what is learned in community.

Take the Risk

“Nothing ventured, nothing gained” is an idiom related to risk. Few areas in life witness true and great success without some level of risk.

The willingness to take risks opens us up to an area that allows God to demonstrate the greatness of His power, exceeding our ability to think.

Instead of hiding behind a fear that inhibits our growth and development as the church, leaders need to explore the possibilities of what can happen if we just allow God to work through us, beyond the comfort zones of our past traditions and extend our abilities into areas that promise faith and hope.

Intimidating Leadership

Leaders commonly feel they need to intimidate their followers to accomplish their goal or purpose.

However, this style of leadership will only create a temporary and false sense of accomplishment. In the end, people do not want to follow such leaders.

If they do, it is only because they feel trapped. Hope is lost and there is no purpose for the future.

People should not be intimidated by you and, as a leader, you should not intimidate those who have entrusted themselves to you.

Spiritual leaders guide people to heaven and they need a leader who gives them hope!

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
May God fill you with faith, hope, love,
and abundant blessings.

Learning From The Past

The past introduces a number of challenges to life. Regardless of the good or the bad, our past often influences who we are and the direction of our future.

The only way to win with the past is to learn from it – good or bad – and use the lesson to help shape a better direction for the future.

For Paul, nothing was more valuable than knowing Jesus. The value of knowing Jesus gave Paul purpose and direction. He did not allow his past to dictate the direction of his future. Instead, he was able to reach forward with hope in the resurrection.

Optimistic Leaders

Pessimists look at the negative in everything. They see the worst and suck the air of hope out of anything better.

In contrast, the optimist sees hope and confidence in the future, because good will ultimately prevail over evil.

With an understanding of these two philosophies, consider something Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “A stumbling block to the pessimist is a stepping-stone to the optimist.”

If a pessimist looks at the worst, then everything is viewed as a stumbling block, but an optimist will use every situation as a stepping-stone for something greater.

Leaders must be dealers in hope, optimists of the future ahead.

Where There Is No Leadership

Two times in the book of Judges, we learn that where there was no leadership, “every man did what was right in his own eyes.”

Looking around at the world today indicates that far too many people live as though there is no leadership.

While leadership is not always what it should be, our influence as Christians must be different.

Christians are not following leadership in the secular realm. We are following the leadership of the almighty God.

As we measure up the example of our life before others, perhaps leading with such intent will instill hope for a better tomorrow.