advantage

This morning I read 1 Corinthians 10:24 in my daily devotional time. It says: “Do not seek your own advantage, but that of the other.” I read it again. “Do not seek your own advantage, but that of the other.” I should know that, right? I mean, I’m a pastor-type person, aren’t I? And yet, honestly, it sounds strange to my ears. In our broken sinful world, isn’t the first thought that usually comes to our minds: “Seek my own advantage over that of the other.” Isn’t it usually the case that we think first of self rather than others? My how Jesus turns our thinking upside down; or at least it should be that way if we take him seriously. Just imagine how different the world would be if we really lived in accordance with “Do not seek your own advantage, but that of the other.” (I have to keep repeating it so I don’t forget.)

bitterness

Hebrews 12:14-15 says: “Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.” Bitterness. It’s poisonous. I know people who have allowed their bitterness to consume them. And the result? It damages every relationship in their lives. Erwin McManus says that you can’t be bitter toward one person. It’s impossible to compartmentalize a corrosive emotion like bitterness. It corrupts all of our relationships to one degree or another, including our relationship with God. Bitterness is anger turned inward, and it hardens our hearts. It ends up limiting our capacity to genuinely love even those who have never wronged us. When we embrace bitterness, we reject grace. Our judgment is impaired. Our perspective is skewed. Or memories are distorted…God save us from bitterness!

missed out

I met with a young couple who are planning their wedding. When discussing their spiritual backgrounds, the young woman said she did not go to church as a child. She began to tear up and said she missed out on so much joy because of it. She loves coming to Journey now and she wants so much for God to be a part of their marriage. I wondered to myself—so why is it that so many people today want little or nothing to do with God’s church?

leadership lessons, part 2

Last week I had the opportunity to be in a room with some transformational leaders. The second day was spent with E. Claiborne Robins, the former CEO of A. H. Robins Pharmaceuticals. Here are some of the leadership lessons he shared. 1. Surround yourself with high-performing people. 2. Always seek to move ahead; don’t go backwards. 3. Don’t wait forever to make changes. 4. Be visible; get out there with the troops. Don’t hide in an office. 5. Remember that everyone’s story is unique. 6. Make things happen. 7. Be self-motivated. 8. If you have a staffing problem, take care of it immediately. Don’t be concerned about who you will find as a replacement. 9. Don’t try to be everything to everybody. 10. Let people know where you stand. 11. Let people know you need them. 12. Don’t get diverted from the goal.

leadership lessons, part 1

Last week I had the opportunity to be in a room with some transformational leaders. The first day was spent with Hays Watkins, the former CEO of CSX Railroad. Here are some of the leadership lessons he shared. 1. Managers work within set guidelines. Leaders set the guidelines. 2. Leaders are good listeners. 3. Give credit to others. 4. Be considerate of feelings, even when people offer screwball ideas. 5. Be well-informed before expressing your opinion. Don’t shoot from the hip. 6. Be an intelligent risk-taker. 7. Trust your intuition. 8. Express concepts clearly and concisely. 9. Know your personal goals but don’t flaunt them. 10. Build relationships with people of influence. 11. Choose strategically whom to remove from power. 12. Develop your successors. 13. When there is conflict, do your homework, and when you know you are right, stick to your guns. 14. If you work conscientiously, whatever happens will be best for you.