By Rev. Mark Ramsey
Among my daily reading – devotional and otherwise – is Seth Godin. (His non-religious, but often compelling daily blog can be found here.) A few months ago, he wrote:
“Leadership is a choice. This is apparently controversial, but more than any other element I can track, leadership occurs when someone decides it’s important that they lead. The challenge, then, is in making the choice to lead.”
The Bible speaks of leadership, but it’s not a choice we make – it’s a call God issues. But having received a call to positions of leadership in congregations, as a church member or pastor, there are choices to be made that we rarely voice out loud. The choice entails being willing to follow the call wherever it leads us. (There are good reasons why “do not be afraid” is the most often Biblical word after God calls.)
The Bible speaks of leadership, but it’s not a choice we make – it’s a call God issues. But having received a call to positions of leadership in congregations, as a church member or pastor, there are choices to be made that we rarely voice out loud. The choice entails being willing to follow the call wherever it leads us. (There are good reasons why “do not be afraid” is the most often Biblical word after God calls.)
There is a lot of discussion about what God will do “next.” Or, in what went “wrong” to land us where we are now. In our personal lives and in the lives of our faith communities and ministries, there are a lot of things that keep us from today. Yet, “today” is among the most important words Jesus ever spoke. So, a leadership choice for this week: Will we focus on today, or get lost in trying to re-litigate yesterday or dreaming of tomorrow?
I try to do a “today audit” from time to time. What is filling my calendar? What meetings, appointments, relationships, preparation time, phone calls, emails and all the rest, serve my focus on a faithful today? And, what is taking up time and energy by continuing to dwell on yesterday or projecting wishful thinking on tomorrow?
It’s great to try to be faithful today, but we need to practice that invitation in real time. Take a look at your schedule. Is it “today” focused, or not? If we believe that our God is the God of past, present, and future, then the one mission field for faithfulness in that promise is how we live, work, lead…today. How much of our time, energy, planning, engaging, studying, praying is geared toward today?
Jesus put this front and center in the Sermon on the Mount:
…Strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own.
Today’s trouble is enough for today.
Focusing on today is a choice. It’s a leadership choice. It’s a choice that God gives us, along with all God’s promises and blessings.
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