Tag Archives: Christian faith

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Danger Zone In Continuous Learning

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I have talked a lot in my posts about being mentored and learning from others. I think continuous learning is a critical part of being a leader and anyone who has stopped learning will not be leading much longer. However, there can be an easily overlooked danger in this that I want to address.

danger

Endless Supply Of Material

If you have access to the internet, then you literally have access to more leaders than you can count. You can read books and blogs or watch videos and webinars on virtually any subject or topic you choose. There is a virtually endless supply of wisdom out there to be gleaned.

Even if you narrow your search down to Christian business leaders, it would not be very difficult to find more material than you can absorb in a year. Quite simply, there is not a shortage of opportunities for learning or gaining wisdom in the world today.

I have been overwhelmed at times with the abundance of godly wisdom that is available. In fact, there have been times where I have been reading two or three different books or blogs at one time. While it can sometimes get confusing, I have enjoyed the variety.

So what exactly is the danger that we need to avoid?

How can continuous learning cause us trouble?

Danger Example In Scripture

These are good questions, but before I answer them I want to take a look at an example from Scripture. In the following passage, Peter steps into a danger zone. It is this area that I want to discuss.

After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up on a high mountain by themselves to be alone. He was transformed in front of them, and His clothes became dazzling—extremely white as no launderer on earth could whiten them. Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.

Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it’s good for us to be here! Let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”— because he did not know what he should say, since they were terrified.

A cloud appeared, overshadowing them, and a voice came from the cloud:

    This is My beloved Son;
    listen to Him!

Then suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus alone.
Mark 9:2-8

Three Tabernacles?

Did you catch the danger area for Peter? Look back at what Peter said about building three tabernacles for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. What was wrong with that? Why should we consider this a danger zone?

I am not sure it is really clear until you read further and see how God responded. Read again what He says to them – “This is My beloved Son; listen to Him!”

Starstruck?

I believe that Peter was in awe over seeing Moses and Elijah. As a Jew, Peter saw these two guys as legendary men of faith. God worked incredible miracles through them and their lives were studied in depth by Jewish children as they came up in the synagogue.

For Americans, this would be like suddenly meeting George Washington and Ben Franklin. For students of business, the equivalent might be Henry Ford and John D. Rockefeller. Athletes might compare this to meeting Babe Ruth and Jim Thorpe.

I think you get the idea, but maybe the danger is still unclear.

God Interrupts

Think about it. Peter is clearly enamored with meeting these two legends and immediately wants to do something to show his excitement. Rather than thinking it through, he blurts out the first thing that comes to mind – to build three tabernacles or shelters for the tow of them and Jesus.

This is when God steps in and speaks. It is not often that God does this so we need to pay attention when He does. We should immediately realize that there is something important for us to learn here.

When God speaks, He makes it known that Jesus is His Son and that Peter (and the others) should listen to Him. Why did He do this?

Wrong Star!

What Peter did not realize was that while Moses and Elijah were great men, they were not great enough to be put on par with Jesus! Even though Peter should have been in awe of their presence, he should have been that much more in awe over being in the presence of Jesus, the Son of God! I don’t think it is coincidental that as soon as God said this, Jesus is the only one still standing there.

Too often, like Peter, we get caught up in who is the latest leader or guru in our industry. We want to read the latest book on business by the most recent author to rise to the top of his area of expertise. We even take pride in telling people what we have read and who we are learning from.

Jesus Stands Alone

Unfortunately, the danger is in the possibility of putting these people on par with Jesus. Even worse, we might be putting them ahead of Jesus! And while God is not using his booming voice to shock us back into the right mindset, passages like the one above should make it obvious that we are out of line.

Peter got caught up in the moment and went too far in showing honor to Moses and Elijah. We often do the same when we stop seeking our wisdom from Jesus, replacing Him with whoever it is that intrigues us at the moment.

Jesus As Foundation

To avoid this danger, we all need to make sure we build a foundation of learning from Jesus through consistent Bible study and prayer. We need to allow the wisdom from God’s Word to be our first and most important source of wisdom – whether it is for our business, job, or family. He should be first.

From there, there is no danger in adding godly wisdom from other sources as well. We just need to remember to keep this other wisdom in perspective, comparing it to Scripture and only applying that which matches what we read there.

Have you been guilty of putting others on par with Jesus?

Can you see the danger of doing this?

How do you make sure Jesus is your foundation first?

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How Did Jesus Use Incentives?

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The following post is courtesy of Bill Higgins. You have probably read a couple of his posts here before. This post is the third of a three-part series about leadership and motivation through the use of incentives. There is more information about Bill at the end of this post.

Coming from a Christian perspective you have to ask – are incentives just a human engineering invention or did Christ demonstrate the principles when He walked the earth? Did Christ treat people differently as individuals, or was His a cookie cutter incentive plan? Did He also use tangible incentives to help motivate people to believe, follow Him, and commit to His way of life?

incentives

Valuing Individuals

The first post in this series focused on the need to value and empower individuals; to encourage them to make their unique contribution to the team. These few examples show how Jesus valued people:

  • Christ and Peter: Peter, the one with foot in mouth disease, yet the one the Lord said would be the foundation of the church (Matthew 16:18). Peter, the one who denied the Lord shortly before His death, yet the one whose name Christ changed from Simon (meaning little stone) to Peter (meaning unmovable rock)(John 1:42). Peter, the one that did not want the Lord to wash his feet, yet the one Christ had walk on water and lead the ministry to the Jews.
  • Christ and Mary: In John 12:1-8 Mary bathed Jesus’ feet with costly perfume and was criticized because it was not sold and the money given to the poor, but Jesus affirms her choice as a tribute to His time on earth. In Luke 10:38-42 Jesus is visiting Mary and Martha’s home and Mary chose to worship Jesus while Martha criticizes her for not helping serve, but again Jesus affirms Mary’s choice as the one thing that’s really important.
  • Christ and Zaccheus: Zaccheus was a small man as recorded in Luke 19:1-10, not only in stature but also by cultural standards. He was a Jewish tax collector, and an outcast from society because of his occupation, where most tax collectors were known to be thieves as well, and from his Jewish heritage because he worked for the Roman government to extort taxes from his fellow Jews.

    The one thing he probably wanted more than anything was acceptance. Then this Jewish celebrity named Jesus comes into town, and the road He travelled was packed by those wanting to see Him. So Zaccheus climbs a tree for a better view and Jesus calls out that He wants to have lunch with him. That was probably the most valuing thing He could have done for Zaccheus; include him in a very public way when others shut him out.

Yes, Jesus valued people for who they were and for who they could become. We need to catch some of that vision for the people we work with.

Individual Treatment

The second post focused on the need for incentives that were designed for the individual. But did Jesus incent individuals differently, or did He treat them pretty much all the same? While we have only a very small part of the dialog Christ actually had with individuals, what we do have will provide insight on this question.

  • Christ and Peter: The dialog Christ had with Peter was blunt, bottom-line, and straight forward. With the exception of the dialog Christ had with religious teachers, He had no more forceful exchange than with Peter. When he says to Peter, “Get thee behind me, Satan,” in Matthew 16:23 He wasn’t just saying that for effect. He communicated with Peter in a way he would hear and understand.

    When He also said to Peter, “Upon this rock I will build my church,” it was for the same reason. Peter had tons of potential, but he also had a lot of rough edges. Peter wasn’t sophisticated, so Christ’s communication with him wasn’t sophisticated, and yet He showed him true love and a vision for what he could be.

  • Christ and the rich young ruler: Here was sophisticated businessman, used to being rewarded for his effort and energy. He recognized his spiritual need, but approached it as a business transaction. In Matthew 19:16-22 Christ met him where he was, but moved the transaction from a business dealing to a relationship.

    When He said, “Go sell all you have and come and follow Me,” these two commands got to the young man’s essence. He had great wealth, and he was used to being his own boss. Christ spoke to him in his language, business, and reached him in his need, a relationship with Himself.

  • Christ and James and John: While they were referred to as the “sons of thunder” because of their fiery temperament, they must also have been somewhat lacking in self-esteem and assertiveness. It was their mother that asked that for her sons to sit on Christ’s right hand (Matthew 20:20-23).
    And how did Christ relate to them? James and John were fishermen like Peter, but their father was a wealthy fishermen. They would inherit the business but Jesus called them to serve, and related to them as a father.

    John especially had a greater capacity to love and be loved, and Christ responded to Him in love. The Bible repeatedly refers to John as the one Christ loved. He asks John to care for His mother when He’s dying. John reclines on Jesus at the last supper. There was intimacy there.

Each of these individuals was treated as an individual. Christ addressed them at their point of need, and in began building them into what He saw they could be. That is repeated throughout the New Testament. Thankfully He still does that today. He relates to each one of us individually, where we are, who we are, and builds us into what He alone sees that we can be.

That is true incentivizing; giving a vision for what a person can be and then providing the resources for them to be able to pursue that. We need to catch the same vision for the ones we work with.

Christ’s Tangible Incentives

When it comes to tangible incentives, He did promise to start a new ‘kingdom’ and that the disciples would play a significant role. That could be seen as a tangible incentive, even though what they understood and what He promised were worlds apart.

He did say that if they had even a little faith they could do more than He did. Then he went on to feed crowds with small lunches, pluck money from a fish to pay His taxes, and turn ordinary water into fine wine. Those could be seen as tangible incentives, but He had so much more in mind.
The true incentives He used targeted people’s deeper needs, and in so doing He won their loyalty and their trust:

  • The woman at the well: Jesus incented her with respect and acceptance. – John 4:7ff
  • Nicodemus: Jesus incented him with fulfilling his quest for truth. – John 3:1ff
  • The royal official: Jesus incented him by healing his son from while a ways off. – John 4:46ff
  • The woman in adultery: Jesus incented her with recognition, acceptance, and a vision for her life. – John 8:1ff

And the list could go on. Wherever He went, He touched people’s lives and changed them forever by incenting them in ways to spur them to greater things.

While Christ did not use tangible incentives as we think of them, His focus on meeting the deeper needs of people would imply that incentives can touch something deeper in an individual’s inner being. Yet, He also demonstrated the place of tangible incentives by feeding the hungry, providing for the poor, and contributing to a festive wedding celebration. In these He shows us that emotional needs satisfied by tangible incentives inspire greater motivation.

Bottom line, Christ met needs in a manner appropriate to the situation, and related to individuals in a manner consistent with their personality and the way God made them. Can we do any less with the people we work with?

SMART Incentives

To be practical, and for incentives to be most effective, they need to be:

  • Specific – the incentive should be tied to specific acts of behavior so that the recipient knows what it is being given for.
  • Meaningful – incentives need to be tailored to the individual, reflect company/program values and the cost of the reward should be relative to size of the act for which recognition is being given.
  • Achievable – the incentive should be something that each individual has the capability of achieving, and not awarded on a competitive basis.
  • Reliable – the measures and decision criteria by which the incentives are given need to be clear and specific so that individuals know why something is being incented and what they have to do to achieve the incentive.
  • Timely – the incentive should be given close in time to the specific act for which reward is given.

About the Author:

BILL HIGGINS is currently the Managing Director of MindWare Incorporated, an independent training and career coaching consulting firm. He previously served on the pastoral staff of churches in the U.S. and Canada, and worked in a managerial capacity for industry leading organizations.

Bill is a graduate of Biola University and Talbot Theological Seminary and his book; Your Road to Damascus: 6 Biblical Secrets for an Effective Job Search is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and MindWare Publishing websites.

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5 Steps To Eliminate Anxiety

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Before I even start this post, I want to be clear (again) that I do not have it all figured out AND that I may be oversimplifying an issue that seriously plagues most of us at one time or another. At the risk of offending some and confusing others, I am going to offer what I believe is the cure to this problem. This problem is anxiety.

anxiety

Anxiety Is Destructive

It goes by many names – stress, worry, concern, apprehension, fear, etc. Even when we only focus on the business world, anxiety takes on many shapes, sizes, and forms. Some suffer from it like a minor rash, but for others it may as well be a broken back or worse!

It can paralyze you when you need to make a critical decision. It can steal the focus you so desperately need to keep your business on track. It can be a pothole or a cliff. If you don’t suffer from it yourself, you surely know someone who does. If you or that person happens to be in leadership or a position of influence, then the results can be anywhere from frustrating to devastating.

Anxiety Defined

So what exactly is anxiety? What is at its root?

I think the root of anxiety is simply an uncertainty of the future.

At this level – simple uncertainty – there is not really a problem. Uncertainty by itself is not a big deal. Without consequences, uncertainty scares no one. I can be uncertain about the outcome of a coin toss without experiencing anxiety.

Add Consequences

However, if that coin toss takes on more significant meaning or determines what my future may look like, then anxiety can creep in. If the potential consequences of the coin toss are dire enough, anxiety can come rushing in like a flood!

The greater we perceive the consequences of the coin toss (or any event or situation in our lives), the more intense the anxiety becomes. If there are little to no potentially adverse consequences to the coin toss, then we have little to no anxiety. The reverse is also true.

When we simplify it like this (and de-personalize it), it becomes easier to see how it works (and how we can eliminate it). Do you agree?

Eliminating Uncertainty

Clearly, there are two ways we can eliminate uncertainty (and therefore anxiety). First, we could know all the details of the future, right? If we absolutely know the future, uncertainty is gone. If you have already watched a key football game, there is no anxiety in watching a recording of it again later.

Unfortunately, we do not have the ability to look into the future to see the outcome of every situation that causes us anxiety. We cannot look ahead to see if sales will reach the required quotas we have been given. We cannot look into the future to find out if a new product will succeed or fail.

The second way to eliminate uncertainty (and the resulting anxiety) is to know the ultimate future of a situation so that you can then assume the details leading up to that ultimate future. Back to the example of a football game – even if you did not watch the game, but you know the final score, you know enough about what happened during the game to relax.

Folks, I honestly believe it really is that simple for life. We can live a life without anxiety if we can only eliminate the uncertainty inherent in it. It sounds simple, right? Well it actually can be that simple.

Step #1 – Bible Is Truth

First, we must recognize that the Bible is absolutely and totally the Word of God. We must believe that it is without error or fluff. We must completely trust what God says to us through His Word (2 Timothy 3:16). It is not enough for us to give lip service to this belief – it must be part of the core of who we are.

I wish I could tell you otherwise, but this first step is non-negotiable. There is no way in the world to completely eliminate anxiety without starting here. If you cannot get past this first step, then you need to embrace anxiety as a close friend! You are not getting rid of it!

You might think you are okay with this step at this point. I hope so. However, if you find trouble later in this process, you may want to come back here and dig a little deeper. Without a rock-solid foundation here, no further steps will help you.

Step #2 – Read About Your Future

Next, we need to read what the Bible says about our ultimate future. What I believe it says is that Jesus died for me. Because I accepted this and invited Him to take over as Savior and Lord, He saved me from my sin and promised me an eternity after this life with Him (John 3:16).

This is a done deal and nothing can change it. The enemy cannot steal me from my Father’s hands. In fact nothing can separate me from Him (Romans 8:35-39)! I believe this. I believe this with all that I can muster.

If that is true, then what happens in between now and that ultimate future in heaven is irrelevant. When I look at my life from 10,000 feet and know that my ultimate future is completely and totally secure with His promise, then there is nothing in the details at 100, 50, or even 10 feet that should worry me or cause me anxiety (Matthew 6:25-34)! This called having an eternal perspective and I think it is the key to solving the problem of anxiety.

Whenever something does begin to cause me anxiety, then I simply need to remind myself that my ultimate future is in His hands and the rest is immaterial. If this is particularly hard for me to do in a given situation, then I need to dig to find out what about this situation is more important to me than my ultimate future. I may need to ask why I trust God with my ultimate future, but not with this immediate situation.

Final Three Steps

Once I can take God at His Word and look at this life from the eternal perspective, then anxiety will fade. Unfortunately, this is not always as easy as it sounds. In my next post, I will give you the final three steps to eliminating anxiety. Once you can successfully complete all five steps, I believe you will have put anxiety in its place for good!

Do you have a problem with anxiety?

Do you see how Steps #1 & #2 can begin to help?

What would you suggest for Steps #3, #4, & #5?

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Are You Acting As Salt And Light?

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For the past couple of years, I have written this blog as an attempt to enlighten, educate, encourage, and enlist other Christian business owners and leaders to recognize God as the owner of their jobs and businesses and that He desires an eternal purpose to be accomplished through these jobs and businesses. Another way to describe this process came from Jesus when He told us to be salt and light in this world.

salt and light

Salt And Light

Near the beginning of His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told his followers (and us) to be salt and light in this world. He drew on two different analogies to show us that we are to stand out in this world. We are to make a difference wherever He has placed us and that difference should point others to Him (Matthew 5:13-16).

Paul tells us later that we are no longer to conform to the pattern of this world (Romans 12:2). He reinforces this idea when he describes us as new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17), the old gone.

How?

So how do we translate this idea of being salt and light into running a business? What does salt and light mean on Monday morning when decisions are to be made and strategies formed?

Great questions! I am glad you asked!

Of course, I am not the expert on this. Nor do I have the answers…at least not the perfect answers. If you do, please let me know. I would be very interested in hearing from you!

For those of us who do not have all the answers, I think the best we can do is to pray through each area and open our hearts and minds to what God has to say to us about it. If we are open to learn, will read His Word, AND be ready and willing to apply what we learn, then I am confident He will answer.

May Look Different For You

Keep in mind that being salt and light in my business may look very different than being salt and light in yours. God has given each of us different gifts, areas of influence, and circumstances. To think we can apply one rule across all businesses would be crazy.

At the same time, I think there are some core truths that we can apply to various areas of the business. These truths can help someone in the automotive business to be salt and light in one way while they may lead someone in banking or construction to do so in a different way.

The Main Point!

Regardless of the methods or processes used, as long as others are caused to “glorify God in heaven” as a result, I believe we are doing it right. In fact, if that is not happening as a result of the way we operate our businesses, I believe we are failing in our efforts to be disciples of Jesus.

Since this whole topic can cover a multitude of areas of business, and each could be lengthy, I am going to attempt to cover one or two areas at a time in future posts. These posts will not run in a continuous series, but I will make it clear when they are published that they are part of this overall series.

What Does It Mean To You?

In the meantime, I encourage you to pray that God will begin revealing to you where you can make changes in your job or business. Ask Him to begin making it clear where you can take action for the purpose of being salt and light. Where can your business stand out and be different – in a way that points others to God?

I think you may be surprised at how He will reveal this to you over time. Just when you are not expecting it, something will stick out like a sore thumb and you will know – an opportunity for salt and light! For a starter list, take a look at the following areas of a typical business. Allow God to show you opportunities in each to be salt and light.

Areas To Consider

    EE Benefits
    Compensation
    Marketing
    Product Quality
    Service Quality
    Reputation
    Hiring
    Accountability

How are you living out the salt and light command?

Can you see where you could do this at work?

Is the failure to do this a sin?

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What Useful Tools Do You Have?

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Have you ever owned a Swiss Army knife? You most likely know what I am talking about – the pocket knife with anywhere from 10 to 100 additional little tools, all built into one pocket-carry device. Growing up, it was the coolest of tools for a little boy to own! Even now as an adult, I can see them as useful.

tools

Various Tools!

Not only did they have a couple of different-sized blades, they also included both flat-head and Philips-head screwdrivers, tweezers, a corkscrew, and a bottle-opener. Some had miniature pliers and a file. You could even find them with a toothpick hidden inside.

The point of the Swiss Army knife was to have whatever tools you might need for a variety of situations. You might not see a need for all of the tools they had available, but they were there in case you needed them. I remember sometimes being amazed how much I used them when I wasn’t expecting to need them!

You Are The Same!

You want to know something really cool? You are the same way in God’s hands! No kidding! You have a variety of talents, skills, and experiences that when submitted to God, can be used by Him just like the tools of a Swiss Army knife in the hands of a Boy Scout (Ephesians 4:11).

Think about it. Every experience in your life that seemed exciting, victorious, devastating or miserable at the time can now be used to comfort someone else in the same situation. You know this is true.

Useful Strengths…

Every success you have experienced can now be used to encourage someone else that is struggling to break through. The tough path you followed to get to the peak can now serve as guidance for the one you are mentoring.

Each talent God gave you at birth or since can be used to connect with others and point people to Him. Maybe it is your voice (singing), your strength (relationships at the gym), financial insights (business relationships), or even your ability to do magic tricks (fill in the blank!) – each can be used by God for His purposes!

…And Weaknesses!

Even your particular weaknesses can be used by God. When you seek guidance from someone else because of their strength, you are creating a connection that God can use. When you publicly acknowledge to your employees that you don’t have all of the answers, you point them to the One that does!

See, God is working on us every day – even when we don’t realize it. He is adding tools here and there. These are tools that He can use just when you are not expecting it. He can use these tools to reach others and to draw them to Him.

There are even times when He uses these tools to get your attention! Think about those times when you felt like you were at the end of your rope, unable to go any further. Just when you thought your weakness would be the end of you, He shows up and uses that weakness to show you His strength!

My Advice!

My advice? Go buy a Swiss Army knife and start carrying it with you. Maybe you should put it on your desk at work, the dashboard of your car, or on your bedside table. You might just want to carry it in your pocket. Put it wherever you need a reminder that your God is amazing.

Let this simple, but multi-functional tool be a reminder to you that God is still working on you. Let it remind you that He is still adding to your toolbox in ways that He plans to use later. Allow it to serve as a reminder to thank Him for allowing you to be used in such an eternal way!

Which of your tools have you seen God use?

What tools do you think He is developing in you now?

Which of your tools should you seek to put to use?

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Are You Waiting To Be Told What To Do?

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Our business is not a big one in the grand scheme of things, but we do get a good cross-section of employees with roughly 100 people working here. As a result, I have seen those that learn the job quickly and others that do not. Some understand their job and do what is necessary without being asked while others are waiting to be told what to do.

waiting to be told

Waiting To Be Told

If you have been working for any length of time, you have probably witnessed this. For the most part, any new employee needs to be told what to do in the beginning, right? Unless they have worked that exact job before, there are things they need to be told first.

They probably need to know WHAT to do, WHY, WHEN, and HOW they are to do it, and maybe a few other tips. Once they get this, they should be able to go forward on their own with only occasional guidance along the way.

Still Waiting…

The problem is that some employees are still waiting to be told what to do. You probably know some of these people where you work. Maybe they work for you. No matter how many times they have read the job description or listened to the training, they refuse to take action on their own. They can sometimes be found actually standing around because no one stopped to tell them what to do next! It really amazes (and frustrates) me!

To be clear, I am not talking about waiting to be told about NEW tasks, responsibilities, or ideas. As employees are being developed for promotion or more responsibility, they need to be taught more. They cannot know the new stuff until it is taught to them. I am only now talking about what they already know (or should know) they are to be doing.

What About Us?

So now that I have you worked up and as frustrated as I am, let’s (again) turn this around to be about us. You probably knew this was coming, didn’t you? For the sake of this discussion, we are the “employees” in this picture and God is the “employer”.

As you go through the rest of this post, ask yourself if you are acting just like one of these employees. Ask yourself if you are “standing around” waiting to be told by God (again) what He wants you to do. Be honest with yourself and allow Him to guide you. He will show you what He wants you to see.

Examples

Let’s take an easy example to start with.

Our “handbook” (the Bible) says that we are to love God (Matthew 22:37-40), right? This is called the Greatest Commandment and we should all be aware of it by now. We have probably read it many times and have likely heard sermons (training) on it as well.

So, are you DOING it? Are you really LOVING God? Are you doing it with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength? OR are you waiting to be told again that you are to do this?

If I am honest in answering these questions for myself, then I would say I am doing it sometimes and I am trying to do it other times. I can’t really say that at any point in time I am sitting around waiting to be told again to love God. I think I have a passing grade here, but not by much.

Another Example!

Let’s get a little tougher. We have all likely heard of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) as well, right? We are told here to go and make disciples of all nations. Again, we have read it and heard many sermons on it. I doubt there are any of us that can honestly claim ignorance here.

So, again I ask the question. Are you DOING it? Are you truly making disciples? Are you mentoring someone in the Christian walk? Are you engaging your employees, co-workers, and others in Christian ministry? Are you teaching what you have been taught?

In the past, I could answer this question with an easy “Yes!” without blinking an eye. Lately, I have allowed distractions to creep in and now I am unable to answer with confidence. What about you? Have you made an effort? Have you allowed distractions to interfere?

More Examples!

I won’t go into detail with each of the following areas from our “handbook,” but I will at least list them and let you ask yourself the questions. Think about each category and ask yourself the tough questions. Where are you waiting to be told what to do? If that is difficult for you or if you think you will go too easy on yourself, ask someone else to help you. Maybe that can be the start of a discipling relationship!

Evangelism (Acts 1:8)

Tithing (Matthew 23:23)

Love your enemies (Matthew 5:43-44)

Forgive your enemies (Luke 17:4)

Praying for others (1 Timothy 2:1-4)

Bible study (2 Timothy 2:15)

Take Action!

When you have had enough abuse for one day and you are ready to close out this post, stop and do one more thing. Decide on one, only one, of these areas and commit to do something!

Commit to make at least one change. Start doing something that you already know you should be doing. It will be the first step down a great and rewarding path!

Where are you doing what you know you should be doing?

Where are you waiting to be told what to do?

What are you going to do about it?

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Are You A Worthy Example To Follow?

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Recently, my wife and I were out of town on a date and wanted to get some dinner and do a little shopping. We knew where we wanted to shop and that restaurants were likely nearby, but we did not know how to get there. So, like any intelligent adult that can, we decided to blindly follow the navigation system in my truck. Bad idea.

follow

Follow Bad Directions?

Evidently, the store we sought had moved to a new location and had failed to notify my truck. In fact, when we arrived at our “destination,” we found that ALL of the businesses formerly in that area had decided to move…and a neighborhood was put in their place! There are few things more frustrating than to follow bad directions.

Folks, this is so true for us as Christian business leaders as well! Look back to my last post. In it, we discussed taking Paul’s advice and imitating another Christian who is ahead of us in their walk with Jesus. If you are not taking this advice, I urge you to find someone worthy to follow.

However, today I want to turn the focus back on us. Let’s assume you are taking Paul’s advice and you have decided to follow another, more mature disciple of Jesus. Great! You should give yourself a pat on the back for making a good decision.

Does Anyone Follow You?

Before you hurt yourself though, turn it around and ask yourself if anyone has decided to follow you. No matter where you are on your walk with Jesus, there is someone else that is behind you (earlier in their walk). Assuming this is true, are you walking in such a way as to be a worthy example to follow?

See, Paul’s advice really is good advice to follow. And at the same time it is good for us to see ourselves in both roles – the follower AND the leader. We should follow those who are more spiritually mature and lead for those who are less spiritually mature.

Don’t Feel Responsible?

Unfortunately, some people don’t mind deciding to follow someone else, but they don’t feel responsible for being the example for others. This may be due to feeling to new at being a disciple of Christ. It could also be a aversion to the responsibility that comes with being an example.

Whatever the case, we cannot shirk this responsibility. Jesus even touches on this in the following verse:

But whoever causes the downfall of one of these little ones who believe in Me—it would be better for him if a heavy millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depths of the sea!
Matthew 18:6

We Are Responsible!

Folks, we are in a position of leadership whether we like it or not. We have influence (intentional or not) with others and therefore we are responsible for how our behavior affects theirs. No, we cannot keep everyone else from sinning, but we can be diligent in making sure our behavior does not cause it!

The point here is that we should strive to live a life that is worthy of having someone else follow. We should be sensitive to any activity that may cause someone else to stumble. Look at Paul’s words to this point:

Therefore, if food causes my brother to fall, I will never again eat meat, so that I won’t cause my brother to fall.
1 Corinthians 8:13

It is a noble thing not to eat meat, or drink wine, or do anything that makes your brother stumble.
Romans 14:21

They Should Want To Follow!

Not only should we avoid that which will cause our brothers to stumble, but we should also strive to do that which will help them grow. Yes, avoid the sin that could lead them astray. Also do those things that they should imitate!

It is imperative that we remember there are others who may follow our example – both good and bad. While it might give us relief to ignore this fact, the truth remains. We are responsible for our behavior and should act accordingly.

I believe the best approach is to embrace this truth. Get excited that someone may decide to follow you! With humility and prayer, begin plotting out a course that you know is worthy of imitation. Then praise God when someone decides to follow! He will give you the strength to handle it!

Do you accept responsibility for being an example to follow?

What do you need to change to be a more worthy example?

Do you have some successes stories from those who follow you?

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Who Are You Imitating?

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Imagine someone offered to pay you handsomely if you would give them a shirt or a dress. The only catch is that they require you to make it on your own! If you had to take a bolt of fabric and thread, cutting and sewing it together yourself, how would you do it? If you are smart, you would find a pattern and follow it, right? The same is true for imitating other people!

imitating

Eyes On The Prize

In my last post, we talked about keeping our eyes on the prize. This is great advice for us to take from Paul, but sometimes it is tough to visualize. What exactly does it look like for us to get the prize. While I can certainly picture a scene with Jesus telling me, “Well done!”, it is tough for me to imagine exactly what it looks like between here and there.

Have you thought about this? Have you tried to imagine the various steps taken and decisions made between your current self and the one that hears Jesus say, “Well done!”? I have done this and it is not easy. In fact, it is downright difficult!

Paul As An Example

The funny thing? Paul knew this. He knew it would be difficult for most people to closely follow the commands of Jesus without an example of how to do it. While Paul himself was not perfect, he was fully committed to living according the example Jesus had set. Therefore he offered himself as an example.

Imitate me, as I also imitate Christ.
1 Corinthians 11:1

If he were following Jesus and others were imitating him, then it could work, right? While this sounds like a simple idea, it is not necessarily easy for us.

In fact, for us it sometimes seems that imitating Paul could be just as difficult as imitating Jesus! Of course, Paul was sinful just like the rest of us (Romans 7:15-25), but so much of what we learn from him is flat out hard to put into practice. Plus, we can’t sit and physically talk to him for advice when we get stuck!

Imitating Another

It is for these reasons that I recommend we follow Paul’s advice, but we apply it to present day. Rather than (only) imitating Paul, I recommend we find someone we know that is living out the example of Christ and begin imitating them.

Sure, there are pitfalls to this practice. They are the same pitfalls you encounter when you put anyone other than Jesus on the pedestal as an example. At the same time, if we can know this and protect ourselves accordingly, I think there is value in this exercise.

Potential Pitfalls

First, to avoid the pitfalls associated with this idea, we need to choose someone we know about and trust. We need to know that they more mature spiritually and truly are attempting to follow the example of Jesus. Someone that is simply morally good, but not a disciple of Jesus, will only lead us astray. Eventually, it is likely that their own morals will conflict with Biblical principles.

Assuming you know someone that is truly following the example of Christ, then you also need to be able to observe their behavior. Being able to talk with them about it and understand their motivations is even better. Having them agree to mentor you along the path would be the ultimate goal!

Right Expectations

Another key to avoiding trouble with imitating someone else is to know in your heart (and not forget) that a man (or woman) will always let you down. There is simply no way (short of imitating the example of Jesus) to find a human that can rightly lead you at all times and through all circumstances.

They will stumble. They will fall. They may even crash and burn. That is due to our sinful nature and there is nothing you can do to change it. The only thing you can do is to acknowledge it and protect yourself against it. Do not rely too heavily on their example. Do not put time with them ahead of your time with God.

You Are Unique

A final note that you need to consider when imitating someone else is that you are you. Sounds silly, I know. But the truth is that God created you as a totally unique individual with a combination of gifts, talents, and weaknesses that no one else on earth has ever possessed. You are the only you that God has ever created. He will never create another you!

That means that you need to remember you are only imitating this godly example, not copying them. Your goal should not be to become anyone else. Remember that you are unique and should remain that way. Imitating their voice is fine, but don’t lose your own unique accent. Imitating their actions is likely good, but don’t forget your distinct mannerisms!

You are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14)! God has plan for you that is only for you (Psalm 139:15-16). Embrace this! It is an awesome truth and no one can take it from you.

Imitating Jesus (And Others)

And while becoming the you that God designed you to be, take the opportunity to follow the example of others He has placed in your path. Imitating Jesus is certainly to be your first priority (1 John 2:6), but don’t ignore Paul’s advice as well. Imitating others can be a healthy part of your maturing process.

Have you considered imitating someone else?

Do you have someone you are already imitating?

What have you learned during this experience?

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Are Your Eyes On The Prize?

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Yesterday was a great day of football. Two teams fought their way into the Superbowl – the championship game of the NFL. These teams have had their eyes on the prize of this championship from the very beginning of the season. In two weeks, one team will achieve that prize. What about you? Are your eyes on the prize?

eyes on the prize

Eyes On The Prize

In Philippians 3:12-14, Paul says the following:

Not that I have already reached the goal or am already fully mature, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12-14

Simple Questions

I am sure you have probably read this before. I am sure you have probably heard several sermons on this passage before. Guess what? I am likely not going to tell you anything amazing about this passage that you have not already heard before. I am simply going to ask you a couple of questions.

Are your eyes on the prize?

Are you reaching forward toward the prize?

What is the prize to you?

Like I said, I am not going to tell you anything new about this passage. I am simply putting it in front of you and asking if you are following Paul’s example and applying it to your life.

Paul’s Eyes On The Prize

In reading about Paul in the Bible, it is clear that he lived what he preached. Everything he did was focused on his desire to do exactly what God had called him to do. He was determined (as we read earlier in the same chapter) to know Christ and to be like him in his death – obedient.

As I read about Paul, I want to do the same thing. I want to focus everything I do around knowing Jesus. I want to be obedient in every area of my life – including the business. For me, I try to have my eyes on the prize. That prize, in my mind, boils down to hearing the following words from Jesus:

‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!
Matthew 25:21

Hearing “Well done.”

Therefore, when I am trying to make decisions in the business, I try to figure out which decisions would move me closer to hearing those words. I imagine Him standing there in front of me ready to say, “Well done.” What path do I take to cause Him to smile and say those words?

I am by no means perfect at this. Much like Paul, I do not consider that I have got this whole business as ministry thing figured out. Not by a long shot. However, I do try to have my eyes on the prize. When I am successful in doing that, it seems like everything works better.

For you, the prize may look different. You may imagine a different scene. That is perfectly fine! The key here is that you recognize that God wants us to be obedient and that is where our focus should be. God wants us to focus on Him and His purposes, not our own.

Wrong Prize?

There are those in this world that are completely and totally focused on themselves. They have their eyes fixed on the prize, but the prize is all about them. These people are similar to the Israelites that God referred to below:

For they did not practice My ordinances but rejected My statutes and profaned My Sabbaths, and their eyes were fixed on their fathers’ idols.
Ezekiel 20:24

Folks, I don’t know about you, but I do not want to be in that group. I do not want to be seen by God as having my eyes on the prize of my father’s idols. I do not want Him disappointed in my focus. I only want to hear, “Well done.” from Him.

Great Advice

I encourage you to pray about this. Take some time and ask God if you have your eyes on the prize – the right prize. Ask Him to make it clear to you where this is not happening and to give you the will and strength to change where necessary. Paul gives this same advice.

If you keep reading in Philippians 3, after he describes how he has his eyes on the prize, he says this:

Therefore, all who are mature should think this way. And if you think differently about anything, God will reveal this also to you.
Philippians 3:15

I think that is great advice. Will you follow it?

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Are You Living The Truth You Know?

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In my last post, we looked at Apostle Paul’s resume and talked about how he thought of it as filth and counted it as loss. My goal was to get us to take a look at the goals we have for our lives and compare them to what we see in Scripture. Like Paul, we should be heading in a different direction from the world. If not, are we applying the truth we know to the lives we live?

truth

***If you have not read my last post, you might want to do that now [HERE] so you are on the same page as the rest of us.

Accountability From Scripture

Just to make sure we do not escape the accountability that Scripture gives us, let’s take a look at another verse that comes up just after the ones we looked at last time:

In any case, we should live up to whatever truth we have attained.
Philippians 3:16

Now, that is a pretty short verse, but I think it is also a very powerful one. Do you get the meaning? Paul is telling us that attaining truth, or gaining knowledge, is not enough. We cannot simply know something and leave it at that. We have to also apply it! We must LIVE UP TO IT!

Truth Applied

Therefore, if we know that this world cannot offer us anything eternal and that only a life lived for Christ will survive the fire that is to come, then our lives should reflect this knowledge (1 Corinthians 3:11-15).

And as an extension, our business lives should also reflect this knowledge.

Assuming you agree with me at this point, or at least are willing to read more before making a decision, let’s take a look at some key areas where we might be likely to exhibit inconsistencies in our workplace.

Potential Areas Of Inconsistency

It is in these areas that many of us fail to fully live up to the truth we have attained. As you read through these areas, think about your own work life and how you might need to rethink your approach to some of them.

1. Business Mission
Every business book will tell you that the purpose of a business, the reason it exists, is to produce a profit. It is similarly believed that the main purpose of a job is to provide income.

I believe the Bible says otherwise. I think the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30) shows us that a business exists to produce a return for its owner. The problem is that we are not the actual owners…God is the owner (Psalm 50:10-12). And as the owner, He wants a return.

Since God already has all of the money in the world, I believe He wants what He does not already have – souls. I believe the Bible shows us that the purpose of our business (or job) is to impact others (souls) for eternity by pointing them to God. Sure, income and profit are necessary to sustain us and our businesses, but they are not the purpose.

2. Money
Even those of us that agree with #1 above can still fall victim to erroneous thinking about money. We may see the eternal purpose of business, but then turn right around and hoard the money that comes from it. It is not always one big decision that we make, but the accumulation of a bunch of little ones.

One of the questions in the C12 Yearly Audit I recently shared with you talks about becoming less acquisitive. When we are assessing our lives in light of the truth we know, we should look hard at our use of money.

Are we freely giving it to those who have needs greater than ours? Are we treating it as stewards of it rather than owners? If pressed, are we more likely to leverage it for eternity or spend it on temporary pleasure or luxury? We likely know what this SHOULD look like, but are we living up to the truth we have attained?

3. Time
An area of our lives that often receives less focus is time. We tend to spend it even more frivolously than we do our money. We often fail to budget it. Even when we do budget it, we frequently allocate too much of it to the wrong uses.

Think about your calendar. What types of activities get the most preference as you schedule out your time? How much time are you committing to a personal relationship with God, the owner of all you steward?

Does your family get more than adequate time or are they generally the last to receive a ration of minutes? Is the time they do receive considered your higher quality time or your leftovers? Would they answer the same way you are right now?

Other Areas?

I can keep on going, but I think you get the idea. I encourage you to take some time and come up with some of your own areas of inconsistency. Pray through each of these and ask God to help you see clearly into each one. He is faithful to do so.

Once you have seen the truth, apply it. Live up to it. Don’t simply accept it and move on from it. Stop and take action. Map out a plan to make corrections over time if the initial results are too overwhelming to take in at once.

In any case, we all should live up to whatever truth we have attained!

What other areas of inconsistency did you consider?

How do you make sure you apply the truth you attain?

Where do you need to take more action?