Whether you are trying to run a business or build a subscriber base for your blog, reputation is something that concerns you. It is no secret that a good reputation increases your likelihood of success in either situation. What is too often forgotten is that when you really need the good reputation, it is most likely too late to build it.
Tag Archives: application of Scripture
Handling Sin In The Camp – Part 2
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There is no real question as to why business, as an industry, is seen by much of the general public as less than trustworthy. So many business leaders are more interested in power, wealth, or winning than they are in doing the right thing when crisis hits. As Christian business owners and leaders, we are called to a higher standard. We are called to deal with the sin in the camp, regardless of the potential consequences.
Sin In The Camp – Part 1
In my last post, we looked at how Joshua performed in a tough situation. If you missed that post, it would be helpful to go back and read it first. In that post, I took you through the first three of six steps for dealing with sin in the camp:
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1. Set Clear Guidelines
2. Stay Close To God
3. Trust God’s Provision
Today, I want to cover the last three steps. Hopefully, you can then see the actions Joshua took and how we can apply them to our current business situations. I would love to hear your thoughts on these steps in the discussion area at the end of the post.
Step 4 – Identify Sin In The Camp
Early on the morning after the defeat at Ai, Joshua got up and began the process of determining who among the Israelites had violated the covenant with God by taking the sacred items (Joshua 7:16-23). He followed God’s instruction to the letter and the guilty party, Achan, was selected. He quickly confessed to his crime.
When we face situations like this, we likely will not have specific instructions from God on how to select the guilty. At the same time, it is clear we are to investigate and dig until we find the truth.
Waiting it out or hoping someone will come forward on their own – these are not viable methods. We must be proactive if we expect to find the truth. We must see the urgency and dig in.
Step 5 – Act Immediately
After narrowing the search down to Achan and hearing his confession, Joshua acted. He did not hesitate. He did not waffle. He did not try to rationalize Achan’s actions. He simply acted (Joshua 7:24-25).
While the punishment was severe and extensive (including Achan’s family), I don’t see that to be the point of what we should learn here. In a business environment, we are not going to stone the guilty. At the same time, our commitment to our core values is on display in these moments.
If your core values include integrity, honesty, truth, or other similar ideals, then dealing decisively with violations of these values is not optional. Clearly, you must weigh the violation and determine the appropriate discipline. Just remember that others are watching to see how your scales work. How “core” are your values?
Step 6 – Remember
The crisis was over and the Israelites were likely ready to move on. The Promised Land was ahead of them! However, this is when Joshua’s leadership stands out even more. In Joshua 7:26, we see that the Israelites erected a large pile of rocks over the body of Achan.
This was not simply a grave. This act was in addition to the norm. This was an act of remembrance. In fact, the place was known going forward as the Valley of Trouble. Joshua wanted to make sure that Achan’s actions were remembered and not repeated.
I don’t see us putting up a plaque on the wall to commemorate a dishonest manager and his termination. I do, however, think that we need to follow Joshua’s thought process. We need to figure out the best way for us (and those we lead) to remember how crucial our core values are to our success.
Constant communication about our core values is a must. Talk with new hires about real consequences of infractions. Don’t let the memory of the crisis completely disappear.
Summary
This can be a tough passage to read due to the extreme punishment delivered. Don’t let that keep you from learning from Joshua and his handling of the crisis. If you read on past this passage, you will see the continued success of the Israelites against Ai and other cities.
God honored their faithful elimination of the sin in the camp. He will do the same for us if we will learn and apply the wisdom found here. He is faithful.
What other advice would you offer someone facing sin in the camp?
Which of these 6 steps is toughest for you?
Are you prepared to effectively address sin in the camp?
Sin In The Camp – 6 Steps To Deal With It
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You are a Christian business owner or leader and you are suddenly confronted with an ugly truth about your business. It appears there is “sin in the camp” and you are not sure how to deal with it. You want to do the right thing, but that is not always easy to determine. How do you deal with it?
Sin In The Camp
In the book of Joshua, chapters 6-7, we read about Joshua leading the Israelites into the Promised Land. First, there is the miraculous defeat of the mighty city of Jericho. Spirits among the Israelites are high until they are subsequently defeated by a much weaker city of Ai. What happened? Why the reversal of fortune?
It turns out someone among the Israelites had broken the covenant God had made with them during the attack on Jericho. As a result, God left them to their own against Ai and they were sorely defeated. Now, the morale of the people has fallen and they are scared to death.
Learning From Joshua
Joshua is the (fortunate?) one that God has given the task of replacing Moses as leader of the Israelites – a TOUGH job! How does he handle this similar situation? What can we learn from him?
I encourage you to read the whole account on your own, beginning with Joshua 6:1 and ending with Joshua 7:26. There is much more to learn from this passage, but I have broken Joshua’s actions into the following 6 steps that I believe we can apply to our current business challenges.
Step 1 – Set Clear Guidelines
There is no grey area in Joshua’s instructions to the Israelites prior to the attack on Jericho. In Joshua 6:17-19, he clearly tells them what is to be done with the city, its inhabitants, and and everything in it once the city is in their hands. The sin that followed was not due to misunderstanding!
We must do the same in our businesses. It is our responsibility as the leaders to make sure the rules and expectations are clear to everyone. New hires must receive clear instruction regarding your policies or they cannot be held accountable to them. Everyone must know our guidelines if we expect them to comply!
Step 2 – Stay Close to God
Joshua did not receive instruction from God and then run off on his own to carry it out. He remained close to God. As soon as he learned of the defeat at Ai, Joshua fell before God in submission (Joshua 7:6-10). He did not know the reason for the defeat, but he knew he had to seek God first. God answered by telling Joshua there was sin in the camp.
Our response must be similar. Don’t get caught up in the fact that Joshua had such an obvious defeat that clued him in to the trouble. Instead, recognize that Joshua had remained so close in his walk with God that his very first reaction was to seek God’s face.
Joshua did not question his general about strategy or even question his own decision to send a smaller force of 3,000 men. He went straight to God as an instinctive reaction. If we are in close communion with God, our instincts will be similar.
Step 3 – Trust God’s Provision
In Joshua 7:10-12, God tells Joshua about the sin in the camp. He makes it clear that He will no longer be with the Israelites unless the sin is removed. At this point, Joshua does not hesitate. He does not look for other options. He acts decisively when he delivers the instructions to the Israelites (vv. 13-15).
I don’t know what Joshua could have feared when making this decision, but I know how these kinds of decisions have affected me. When I have caught wind of impropriety in our business, fear has often flooded my mind. Will an investigation lead to a top performer? Will I be forced to terminate someone that is critical to our success?
Joshua may have had similar fears, but he acted anyway. He trusted that his provision was only from God. We must have the same trust in God. If the removal of sin in the camp causes the loss of a top performer, then we have to trust that God will make up the difference. He is faithful.
Stay Tuned!
In my next post, we will cover the final 3 steps for dealing with sin in the camp. I hope that you can see the business application of this passage. Again, I encourage you to read it on your own and see how it speaks to you. I think you might be surprised at what you find!
Have you experienced sin in the camp with your business?
How did you deal with it?
What would you do differently next time?
5 Lies Too Many Christians Believe
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Every once in a while, I like to stop and take a look around at the world we live in and the assumptions we make every day. I like to think about ideas that we have heard for years and those we just accept as truth. It is especially good to compare these very ideas to Scripture to test their validity. Today, I want to discuss five of these “lies” that I think too many Christians believe.
Do You Believe These Lies?
Be warned: you may believe some of these! In fact, you may be tempted to stop reading once you see one that you believe is absolutely true, one that you are very comfortable with believing. I encourage you not to stop reading, but instead to take a look at the Scripture I reference and pray about it.
I will tell you that I have done this over the years and it is life-changing. Once you stop accepting what you have been taught all of your life and begin comparing it to God’s Word, you will likely see that you have been operating on a shaky foundation in some areas. You will begin to seek more of God’s truth and how to apply it to every area of your life.
Let’s jump in!
Lie #1. God doesn’t care about my work.
- This is a very common lie that trips up many people in their Christian walk. If we begin to believe this lie, then we can basically do anything we want on the job and it should not impact our relationship with God. This idea is an escape from accountability on the job. Before you decide whether it is true or not, take a look at the following from Colossians 3:23-24…
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Lie #2. Getting fed at church on Sunday morning is enough.
- This is another common belief, but it is very far from the truth. Folks, we need more of God than we can possibly get from a couple of hours a week. We need to be reading His Word and praying for His guidance. We need accountability from other believers. We need community and relationships within the family of faith.
While some of this happens on Sunday, it is simply not possible to get all of it accomplished in such a short time. We need a daily quiet time when we are alone with God. We need to participate in some sort of community group. For a great model of this behavior, take a look at Acts 2:42-47.
Lie #3. My customers will be offended if I…
- I have addressed this one in an earlier post, but it bears repeating. Too many Christian business owners think that the media today is the best indicator of how their customers would react if they were open about their faith. Read this post, with data from a research study by the Barna Group to back it up.
Lie #4. Faith and work are to be kept separate.
- I do not have to look far to find Scripture to refute this lie. In addition to Colossians 3:23-24, you can certainly see from Matthew 22:37-40 that God is not just interested in part of our lives. He will not settle for a portion – He wants it ALL.
This does not mean we all have to be paid staff members in the church (addressed next). Instead, it means we are to surrender our entire life to God, job and/or business included. There is no half-way here.
Lie #5. Christian ministry is someone else’s responsibility.
- For many years, Christians, and some pastors included, think that you are only a Christian minister if you are on staff at a church. As a result, most Christians leave the job of ministering to those staff members of their church. This simply is not how God designed it.
When defining ministry as “the service or functions of a minister of religion,” we are all included! While we may not draw our compensation from a church, we are still responsible for carrying out the service and functions of our faith.
Paul called us Christ’s ambassadors in 2 Corinthians 5:20. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul talks about how every member of the body of faith is to play a role and every role is important. Let’s start acting like we believe this!
Other Lies?
Well, there they are! I am sure you could come up with others if you started thinking about it. I actually encourage you to do just that. Take a quiet time one morning and ask God to reveal to you some similar “lies” that you believe. Ask Him to show you assumptions you make on a daily basis.
Then take the next step and begin removing these assumptions from your life. Ask Him to show you what you should be doing differently now that you are seeing more clearly. If you will do this exercise, I think you will be shocked at what He shows you.
Do you believe any of these lies?
Which lie will be the toughest for you to overcome?
What other lies came to mind?
Original date of post – September 30, 2012
Pursue The Gifts You Have, Not The One’s You Want
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The following post is based on a lesson on using your gifts from Dave Anderson’s book How to Run Your Business by THE BOOK.
David And Goliath
Do you remember reading about David and Goliath? Do you remember how Saul tried to make David wear armor that would not fit him? I laugh when I try to picture David as a youth trying to walk around in Saul’s armor, potentially bumping into tent posts and stepping into the campfires scattered around. It may not have been as close to a scene out of the Carol Burnett show as I have it pictured, but I imagine there had to be some humor in it.
Finally, David threw off Saul’s armor and wore his own shepherd’s clothes. He left Saul’s weapons in the tent and chose to use the sling and the stones he already knew how to use. These fit him. While he had never fought in a war with other soldiers, he had certainly seen his battles protecting the flocks from predators. Instead of using someone else’s armor and weaponry in this new battle, he went with what was familiar to him.
What Can We Learn?
Apparently, he made the right choice. So what can we as leaders learn from this episode? How do we apply it to what we do on a daily basis?
The first place I think to look is back in the Bible. Let’s consider Romans 12:6-8. In this passage, Paul is telling the Romans that different people receive different gifts from God.
When we receive specific gifts, we should use those gifts according to our faith. If one is given the gift of teaching, then they are to teach. Another may be given the gift of encouragement; they should encourage. You have probably read this and understand it.
I believe this is directly related to the story about David and the armor. You see, Saul was trying to get David to wear armor that was not his. It was not fit for him. It was not comfortable to him. It simply would have been a burden to David. It would have hampered his effectiveness against Goliath.
Gifts From God
The same is true about gifts from God. If God has given me the gift of encouragement, but not the gift of leadership, should I try to lead? Just because I want to lead does not mean that is what I should do. In fact, if God has not gifted me in that area, I will only cause problems if I try to do it anyway. If I am not gifted to teach, but I insist on doing so, what kind of results will I get? I may like the idea of teaching, but if God has not gifted me for it, that is not where I will be most effective.
Look at 1 Corinthians 12 and see more discussion on this. In this passage, Paul takes it further and uses the human body and its parts to illustrate his point. Each part has its job to do. Each job is just as important to the health of the body as the next. All deserve honor. None of the parts should aspire to be another part. Instead, each part should embrace the role they have been given and do the best they can at being that part.
Lessons For Leaders
As leaders, we must do the same.
- 1. Discover your gifting
- David quickly found that Saul’s armor would not work. You need to determine your gifting. There are tools to accomplish this, but you can also ask those who know you best. Pray for God to reveal it to you.
- 2. Embrace that gifting
- David did not hesitate to reject Saul’s armor and revert back to his own tools. Once you know your gifts, embrace them! Know that the Creator of the universe chose you specially for those gifts! They are worthy of honor!
- 3. Learn how to best apply that gifting
- David spent years learning accuracy with his sling and stones. Do not expect overnight results in your gifts. Developing these gifts take time. Through prayer, application, and learning from defeats (as well as successes), you will grow in these gifts.
- 4. Go to battle!
- David went boldly into battle with his tools. Do not be afraid to fight the battles with your gifts. Do not forget you represent God and He has your back!
Now, go out there and use your own armor!
What are your gifts?
Are you embracing them and growing in your application of them?
What battles are you fighting?
Original date of post – November 9, 2011
What Do You Do For A Living?
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If you do much traveling or meet new people frequently (outside of work), then you likely hear this question on a regular basis. “What do you do for a living?” You have heard it asked. You have asked it yourself. Whether we like it or not, people associate us with our occupation. We do the same thing.
Common Question
So, what is wrong with this? I am sure there are psychological reasons that we should not necessarily do this. I would even agree that associating people with what they do for a living could cause us to jump to conclusions about them, their preferences, their lifestyle, etc.
You don’t think people often get the wrong idea about me when they find out I am in the car business?!? Of course they do!
Regardless of what you think about this question, we would all agree that it will continue to be asked into the foreseeable future. We are not likely to get this question eliminated from the habits of millions of people today.
Opportunity?
So, how can we use this question to our benefit?
Have you ever thought about how you could turn this question into a perfect opportunity to tell the inquisitor something special about you and what you do? If you know people are going to ask you, “What do you do for a living?” then why not plan ahead to take advantage of it?
Here is what I am thinking…I think this is the perfect opportunity to break the ice about our faith without being offensive or pushy. I think we should take this chance to share what it is we do, but from the spiritual side of things.
Example Response
Let me give you an example and see how you would respond. When someone asks me this question, my prepared answer is this:
I work for a very unusual company. It is a car dealership group that is a Christian company. We are trying to learn, and to show, how Jesus would run a business if He were the boss.
Lead In To More Conversation
Hopefully, I have said this in such a way that they are not uncomfortable with my answer. Likely, I have had a moment or two for them to get an idea of my sincerity before I toss this out there.
Assuming this, what kind of response do you think I will get? Where do you see the conversation going from here? Is it possible that I have offended them or more likely that I have intrigued them? Will they probably follow up with more questions?
Salt And Light
I guess my whole point here is that we are called to be salt and light in the world. I am a huge proponent of doing this by taking your Christian faith to your work or business. At the same time, there are opportunities outside of work that we can use to our advantage.
Our whole goal is to point people toward God. If we can take a few moments and do that with someone that is curious about our work, then why not do that?
Simple Response, Deep Conversation
In many cases, this kind of response will open the door to a spiritual conversation where you can witness to them without using a bullhorn! You may be surprised at how God can use a simple response like this to initiate a deep conversation very quickly.
While possible, this response is probably not going to offend the other person and cause them to react negatively. Granted, where I live (Southern U.S. – Bible belt!), this response is less likely to offend. It is more probable that the person asking the question is also a believer or associates themselves with the Christian faith. Great!
That just means I now have an opportunity to talk to them about why they should be taking THEIR faith to the workplace! Either way, I have a chance to have a spiritual conversation with someone that God can touch through it.
Unexpected Blessing
A final, sometimes unexpected benefit, is that YOU may be the one more blessed by the resulting conversation. So often, I have thought I was going to minister to someone else, only to find them ministering to me! I love it when that happens!
Try this idea for yourself. First, take the time to prepare a response that fits what you do. Wordsmith it, but make sure it is comfortable for you. You don’t want to appear like you are giving a robotic answer! Pray first, and God will give you the words you need!
Now go and look for opportunities to use it!
How could you explain how you make a living this way?
Do you feel uncomfortable with this? If so, why?
Have you tried this before? What were the results?
Are You Getting The Right Return?
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What is the purpose of business? If you ask a dozen people this question, you will likely get some common answers. Some will say it is to make money. Others might say it is to provide products and/or services at a profit. Those most educated in business theory may come back with something like this – to create a return, or added value, for the stakeholders.
Stakeholders’ Return
Let’s run with this last answer for today. I think it is likely closest to the answer we understand. Stakeholders are those who have an interest or concern in an organization. In our businesses, stakeholders include employees, owners, vendors, etc. – anyone with an interest in our business.
For the sake of today’s post, I want to focus on the owners of the business. Hopefully, you have already come to the understanding that you are not actually an owner of your business (or job). You are simply a steward of that business or job for a season.
God Is Owner
The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it (Psalm 24:1). Therefore, He is the rightful owner of the business. He has entrusted it to you for a time (Matthew 25:14-30). He expects you to manage it well, bringing a return for the stakeholders – all of them.
This means your employees must get a return for working there (compensation, fulfillment, education, etc.). The vendors must get a return (fair pricing, timely payment for products or services). You are to get a return for the work and effort you put in as steward (compensation, fulfillment, share of profits, etc.).
Finally, there is God. He is actually the owner, right? Therefore, He should get a return as well. What exactly should His return be? He already owns everything. He has no real need for money because it is all His!
God’s Return?
I have spent a lot of time thinking through this question and have come to a conclusion. As with anything else on this site, you have the right to disagree with me. However, before you do, I encourage you to pray through this. I think you might see I am onto something.
I have racked my brain to figure out what God wants, but does not yet have. What is his ultimate goal for us and how does that play into my operating of a business for Him?
Well, the only answer I could come up with is that He desperately wants everyone to come to Him in faith, repent, and have a relationship with Him (2 Peter 3:9). He sent His only Son for this very purpose (John 3:16). I think we all agree with this, right?
Point Them To Him
So in that light, if I can operate His business in such a way as to point other people to Him, then I am bringing Him a return that is pleasing to Him. I am bringing Him something He does not yet have, but desperately wants.
Now, there is no way for me to bring everyone to repentance that comes into contact with His business. I cannot “save” them. That is absolutely His job. My job is to point them to Him in such a way that they are drawn to Him.
However, I CAN operate the business in such a way that everyone who comes into contact with it is positively impacted and directed toward a relationship with Him. Read through that again, slowly.
Not Just “Nice”
I am not saying we are to make it our focus to verbally witness to every employee, customer, and vendor so we can lead them in the sinner’s prayer. I am not saying that we should hire everyone that comes to us needing a job just so we have the opportunity to influence them at some point.
Nor am I saying that we are to give away our product or services until we go broke, just so we can impact customers in need. None of these practices are biblical business practices. They may sound “nice”, but they will only serve to bring your stewardship of His business to a premature end.
Purpose Is Different
It is my belief that we are to run businesses that focus on integrity and excellence. These businesses should make significant profit and seek healthy growth and expansion. Our customer satisfaction should be at the top of our industry and other similar businesses should imitate us.
If this sounds like a normal business, then so be it. The difference is that the overriding purpose of our business should be to bring God glory. I believe we will be held accountable as stewards of His business. I believe we will be accountable for the “return” of lives being pointed to Him because of the way we operated the business.
If we do this well, these people will eventually spend eternity with Him. In some cases, we will get to see their transformation. In other cases, we will only find out in eternity what we did to influence them. Again, it is not our job to “close” the deal…that is God’s job. We are only to point them toward the closing table!
What return has been your focus?
Do you think your focus needs to shift?
Are you prepared to make decisions that lead to this return?
Two Trustworthy Tools For Decision Making
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In the business world, we are faced daily with decisions. Some decisions come with huge consequences. Others are so small that they will be forgotten within the week. In the big decisions, we want to make sure we apply wisdom and make the right choices. I have two questions, given to me by a friend, that you can ask to help you with these decisions.
Touch Decisions
I was recently approached by another close friend. He is wrestling with a major decision that could impact his career, family life, and even his walk as a disciple of Christ. As he described his dilemma, I was reminded of the two questions I mentioned earlier. Immediately, I shared these questions with him and left him to answer them on his own.
Regardless of the decision you need to make, these two questions can help you make the right choice. They may not immediately clarify the right choice every time. You really need to pray through these questions when you face the really complex questions. However, over time, I believe the answers will become clear.
Decision-Making Tool #1
The first question is this:
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Will this choice draw me closer to God or further away from Him?
As you think and pray through the choice you are considering, ask yourself how it will impact your relationship with God. Will this particular choice draw you closer to Him? Will another choice draw you even closer?
If we look at a couple of verses from the Bible, it is clear that we are to be drawing closer to Him. In James 4:8, we are told: “draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” In Hebrews 10:22, it says, “let us draw near to God with a sincere heart…”
I won’t tell you that you always have to pick the choice that draws you the nearest to Him. However, if given a choice between one option that draws you closer and one that takes you further away…that answer should be clear to you!
Decision-Making Tool #2
The second question is this:
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Will this choice make me more dependent on God or less so?
We are independent creatures and we desire to be self-sufficient. This is especially true for business leaders and owners. It is in our DNA and we rarely fight it. This quality is a significant part of what makes us successful in business.
Unfortunately, when it comes to spiritual “success”, last is first and first is last. What works for us in the business world can work against us in our Christian walk. Our independence is exactly what God does NOT want from us in our relationship with Him.
We see this idea of God desiring our dependence on Him in many places in the Bible. Here are a couple of examples:
My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.
2 Corinthians 12:9And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.Are you not much more valuable than they?
Matthew 6:25-26
As we are making decisions in life, we need to be mindful of whether we are seeking independence from God or dependence on Him. As I said before, this answer may not be perfectly obvious at first glance. If we will pray and sincerely seek His heart, God will show us the truth.
Give These A Try!
The next time you have a decision that carries significant consequences, try these two questions. Pray through them and ask for a clear mind and heart as to the answers. I believe the right choice will become evident to you!
What decision are you facing now that would benefit from these questions?
Can you recall a decision that would have been better made with these tools?
What other questions do you use in your decision making process?
One Choice You Need To Make Every Day
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I don’t need to tell you that you will have to make choices every day that determine your effectiveness and success in whatever your endeavor. You already know this. What you might find interesting is how Paul framed a choice that he faced on a regular basis.
Paul’s Choice
If you will read the first chapter of Philippians, you will see that Paul is on a mission to take the gospel to the Gentiles. He is determined in this mission, even to the point of finding himself in jail over it. Yet he continues to carry out his mission, despite the interruption!
In the letter he is writing to the church at Philippi, Paul mentions a choice in his mind that he continues to wrestle over. Take a look at how he frames this choice:
For me, living is Christ and dying is gain. Now if I live on in the flesh, this means fruitful work for me; and I don’t know which one I should choose. I am pressured by both. I have the desire to depart and be with Christ – which is far better — but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you.
Philippians 1:21-24
Can You Identify?
When you first read this (and you are completely honest with yourself), you may not really identify with Paul’s struggle. I will say for myself that I understand Paul’s struggle. On occasion, I even feel the same way…to a degree. I wish I could say that I have the exact same struggle on a daily basis…I don’t.
Maybe one day, I will mature to the point where that is my actually struggle. For now, I will keep striving toward that day!
Two Pairs Of Words
Fortunately, I do not want to focus on Paul’s struggle in this post. Instead, I want to isolate two pairs of words that I truly believe we all wrestle with on a daily basis. Paul’s words should echo in your mind after reading this post or I have not done a very good job of communicating.
Go back to the above passage and notice how he describes his two choices with a pair of words for each…”far better” and “more necessary”. Stop and think about how powerful and insightful these words are when compared to each other.
Frequent Choice?
How many times a day do you face a decision between “far better” and “more necessary”? If you are anything like me, you face this decision a number of times before you even leave the house to go to work.
Before lunch, you have likely faced this same decision multiple times. The same is true after lunch. Once you are home again for the night, this decision shows up a few more times – at least.
Tough Choice!
Here’s the deal. You and I are constantly faced with the decision between doing what, at that moment, is far better or more necessary. This is the root question that determines whether you will be a responsible or irresponsible leader – at home, in business, with relationships, etc.
At home, the decision might be whether to kick back and relax after a hard day (far better) or perform acts of service for your spouse (more necessary). It could be deciding between the Moose Tracks ice cream (far better) or the apple (more necessary).
Business Choices
In the business world, this decision can take on many forms as well. Will you take the day off to play golf with your buddies or will you put in the extra time to make sure the project beats the deadline for a customer? Do you personally enjoy the rewards of all of your profit (or income) or do you use it to promote the Kingdom?
Sometimes with these decisions, it can even be difficult to discern which is which. Do you keep the low performing employee and give them another chance or do you go ahead and terminate their employment so they get started on a new, more productive path?
Strive For Paul’s Example
Folks, I think we are to strive to follow Paul’s example (1 Corinthians 11:1). We should be struggling between “living is Christ” and “dying is gain” like he did. At the same time, we know this is a high standard to reach.
Until we reach that level of maturity, we will still have the choice between “far better” and “more necessary”. My encouragement to you is that you start trying to see your day-to-day decisions in this light. Try to figure out which is “more necessary” and choose that one.
I believe the more we will do this, the closer we will get to Paul’s struggle between living and dying. That is where I want to be!
Do you see how critical this choice can be?
Do you see yourself more often doing what is “more necessary” or not?
How do you need to move closer to Paul’s example?