I am a peace-maker. I want unity and peace above all. I work hard to obtain and maintain peace. I willingly sacrifice to sustain peace. I want us all to finish the race together.
This is the very reason that I have not been an effective leader. I have not been willing to make the hard call. If my decision will anger or disappoint someone, then I back up from it.
However, reality calls for tough decisions. What's right is more important than what everyone will like! I wish I had learned that earlier in life! It would have made me a much more effective leader!
Dissonance is uncomfortable! Differing opinions create tension! Resistance causes fear. Ideas have to be thought through carefully. Spiritual discerning must take place.
But, what's right and best must take precedence over maintaining the status quo! The status quo may be what is most comfortable, but it is probably not what is best!
An essential leadership quality is courage coupled with justice. This kind of leadership presents itself not with an "It's my way or the highway" mentality, but with a "This is the way and we must walk in it" attitude!
This leadership is not ruthless, but persuasive; not insistant, but determined; not uncaring, but committed to what is right and best!
God, help me - even at this stage of life - to become more confident in my ability to lead. Give me courage to believe that You want to work through my leadership to accomplish Your great purposes.
Thank you! May God bless you Pastor Hal! My wife passed this on to me this morning (can't figure out why she thought I needed to read it...), and it claerly and simply states what I am struggling with (daily). I don't know the right answers, but God does. The limit is in my ability to wait for God to let me know my role in finding them.
ReplyDeleteYour wife obviously loves you and sees your suffering and wants to help! How cool is that? She believes in you. God believes in you! That's a pretty good start. Do you believe in you? I'll be completing my thoughts over the next few days - stay tuned... Hal
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