Principles for Everyday Leaders ~ Wisdom

Through this series on leadership principles we have defined a leader as someone who has influence in the lives of others.  So it stands to reason that it would be hard to be any kind of a leader if you spent a lot of your time alone and yet the leader we want to consider today was alone when Jesus met her.  It was noon when Jesus stopped to rest at the well, which meant it was during the hottest part of the day when he arrived, and usually there would be no one there, but when Jesus got there he met a woman drawing the water she needed for the day.  For most women, drawing water was a chore done in the morning when it was cool and it would have been done with others for safety, protection and fellowship, so there must have been a reason why this woman was there at noon and why she there alone.

What we come to find out about this woman was that she had been married 5 times and was currently living with man #6 – a man she was not married to.  The woman clearly didn’t feel welcomed by the other women in her village so instead of walking with them in the morning, she came to the well alone at noon to avoid their comments, whispers and glares.  From the looks of it, this woman might not appear to be any kind of leader we can learn from – but she is.  Not only is she a leader but what might surprise us is that what we can learn from her is what wisdom is all about.

Let’s be clear that wisdom and knowledge are not the same things.  Wisdom involves knowledge and knowing the right things but it also includes putting that knowledge to use.  The Russian author, Anton Chekhov, said, knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practice and the great CEO of IBM, Thomas Watson, said, wisdom is the power that enables us to use our knowledge for the benefit of ourselves and others.  So today we are going to define wisdom as gaining the right knowledge AND knowing how to use that knowledge for the benefit of ourselves and others.  And this is exactly what we see in the woman Jesus met at the well.

Jesus stopped at the well in Samaria because he was hot, tired and thirsty.  When he arrived he found a woman there alone and asked her for a drink.  The woman was surprised at this because Jewish men didn’t ask Samaritan women for anything.  In fact, Jewish men usually didn’t speak to women they didn’t know at all and they certainly did not speak to Samaritan women, but Jesus did and he asked her for drink.  John 4:7-9

Now here is where Jesus turned the situation around and he shares some knowledge with this woman that can change her life.  He is going to tell her that he is not just an ordinary man asking for water but the Messiah who can offer people living water - or eternal life.
John 4:10-26.

While Jesus often kept his true identity hidden from people, here he was very open and clear – the Messiah that this woman and others were looking is Jesus.  I who speak to you am he.  Jesus has just given her knowledge and yet it is not this knowledge that makes her wise, it is what she does with it.  John 4: 28-30, 39-43.

This woman shows us that wisdom isn’t just gaining knowledge but using that knowledge for ourselves and others.  The experience she had with Jesus and the information given to her improved her situation.  Jesus showed her that she had value and dignity by speaking to her, and then as the Messiah he offered her living water which included God’s grace and mercy and the fullness of life.  The knowledge of Jesus changed her, but then she shared that knowledge with others.  This woman used what limited influence she had in the lives of her family and friend to invite them to come and meet Jesus and to experience his power and grace for themselves.  She used her knowledge of Jesus for the benefit of herself and others and that is wisdom.

What this leader shows us is that if we want to grow in wisdom we need to focus on two things: gaining knowledge and understanding AND using it.  The first thing this woman did was gain knowledge.  She took the time to listen to Jesus and understand what he was talking about.  He asked her questions, probed deeper into what he had to say, shared what she knew about the Messiah and opened herself to learning more about him, but she didn’t stop there, she then used her new and deeper knowledge of the Messiah to invite others to experience the presence of God in Jesus.  Wisdom requires us to both gain knowledge and understanding and use it for the benefit or ourselves and others.

So let’s consider how we can gain knowledge.  The truth is that there are many different ways we can expand our understanding of different things.  Like this woman, we can take the time to listen and learn from others.  We can attend classes and lectures; maybe enroll in continuing education events at work or through organizations like OLLI, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute which will be holding some of their classes here at Faith Church.  We can watch DVD’s and online seminars through organizations like TED.  If you aren’t familiar with TED talks, I encourage you to check it out at www.TED.com.  They have some fascinating and fun talks in areas like math, religion, music and leadership and here is the best part, all the talks are short.

To learn more about God and the meaning of our faith we can get involved in small groups, Sunday school classes and Bible studies where we can learn from others.  To learn about leadership and how to make the most of the influence we have in the lives of others we can attend the Global Leadership Summit coming up in August.  There are so many ways we can learn by listening and opening ourselves up to new ideas and information that others have to share.

We can also learn by reading.  John Wesley said, it cannot be that the people should grow in grace unless they give themselves to reading.  A reading people will always be a knowing people.  John Wesley wanted his preachers to read everything they could get their hands on.  We are blessed today to have all kinds of knowledge and information at our disposal in libraries and even online.  You can read just about anything you want by doing a quick online search that will produce reports and papers and articles on every topic imaginable and you can download just about any book to your tablet, nook or kindle.  We need to recapture the joy of reading.
We also need to make sure that our primary source of information and truth is God’s word.  There is no substitute for reading the Bible and if you want to increase in wisdom then the best place to start might be the book of Proverbs which gives us timeless knowledge that can be acted on and lived out.  Proverbs covers just about all areas of life, from to family to finances to friendships.

While reading and listening are good ways to learn, many people learn best by getting directly involved in the work – these are often called kinesthetic learners.  But for all of us, hands-on learning is important.  For example, we learn to cook by actually cooking a meal and not just reading a recipe, so if you want to learn how to swing a hammer or paint a wall – join our mission team and there will be someone eager to show you how to learn new skills and give you the opportunity to use them.  I must confess that I learned how to use several tools when I went to NC to work on homes after hurricane Floyd.  I also learned how to use a pick axe from an 80 year old woman who was my neighbor in Altoona.  I went out to help her chop the ice in our alley one winter, but once I started to work she could clearly see I didn’t know what I was doing.  She told me in no uncertain terms that I was doing it all wrong, took the ax back and showed me how to do it right.  Sometimes we just have to do the work to learn how to do the work.

While we gain knowledge in a variety of ways, we need to keep learning and growing.  We are never too old to learn, but then we need to remember that just knowing more doesn’t mean we are wise.  We probably all know people who know a lot of stuff but aren’t very wise because they don’t use what they know to help themselves or others.  So after gaining knowledge and learning new skills we need to act on what we have learned.  For the woman at the well, this meant sharing the truth of Jesus with others.

Jesus told her clearly that he was the Messiah and both Jews and Samaritans were looking for the Messiah so this was not information to hang on to but share.  Jesus’ showed her that he had power by telling her exactly who she was and what was going on in her life – but then he also showed her grace by speaking to her and offering her this living water.  Jesus changed her life and she knew as the Messiah Jesus could change the life of others so she shared her knowledge.  She acted on what she knew to help others.

Wisdom means acting on what we know and while this is important in every area of life, it has special importance in our lives of faith.  If we don’t act on what we know of God, Jesus says we are foolish people who will eventually lose everything.  Matthew 7:24-27.  Jesus makes it clear that the wise are those who not only hear and learn God’s word but act on it or put it into practice, but let’s be honest – this is not always easy.

Jesus told this parable at the end of his Sermon on the Mount where he taught people that we shouldn’t hate anyone or seek any kind of revenge.  His went on to say, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.  Don’t store up treasure for yourself on earth.  Do not worry.  Do not judge others.  Now wisdom is not understanding that this is all true but putting it all into practice.  Wisdom is living out God’s word even though we know it is hard and goes against much, if not all, of what the world tells us is right.

Here is where real leaders rise to the top.  Leaders are those who are willing to risk everything to live out all what they know is true.  In business these are the people who are on the cutting edge of new technologies and practices and follow through on them because they know what they are doing has the potential to bring about real positive change.  In politics these are the leaders who don’t listen to polls but do what is right and hold to their word no matter what the cost.  In sports these are the athletes that not only play by the rules but understand that good sportsmanship is often more powerful than winning.  Being wise isn’t always easy because the knowledge and truth we often know we need to follow will come into direct conflict with the values of the world around us.

I imagine it was hard for this woman to defy some of the norms of her society and face head on the ridicule of others to share her knowledge of Jesus when she returned home.  I can just hear some of the people in her village laughing at what she had to say to them about Jesus.  So she met yet another man.  But she did what she knew she had to do – what was right – and told others about Jesus.

So wisdom is gaining knowledge and then acting on that knowledge for the benefit of ourselves and others.  Wisdom also has long range implications.  For the woman at the well, when she began to understand that Jesus was the Messiah she knew that God’s kingdom was coming into this world and that she had a part to play in inviting people into that kingdom.  She was now part of something much larger than herself and even her community.  She was part of God’s work and God’s kingdom and what she was doing had long reaching even eternal implications.  Wisdom often leads us to become part of something much larger than ourselves and can carry us to people and places we never dreamed of.  Wisdom opens doors and gives us opportunities that are truly God driven and life changing.

No one saw the woman at the well as a leader, but Jesus did.  He knew she would take her knowledge of Jesus as the Messiah to heart and then share it with others.  He knew she would begin to bring about a change in her community and world.  We may not see ourselves as leaders today, but Jesus does and he is calling us to be wise, to gain knowledge and learn new things and then use this new understanding and share what we have learned to improve our lives, the lives of others and maybe begin to change our world and the future for the better.

Join me this week as we commit ourselves to growing in wisdom.

Next Steps
Leadership Principles ~ WISDOM

Wisdom is gaining knowledge AND acting on that knowledge for the benefit of ourselves and others.

GAIN KNOWLEDGE
Read
• The book of Proverbs (which contains wisdom on areas from family relationships to finances)
• Books on Leadership (in lobby and church library)
• Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7)

Watch and Listen
• Register for this year’s Global Leadership Summit
• Leadership DVD’s (in lobby and church library)
• Current talks on various topics can be found at www.ted.com

Small Group Learning
• Join a Sunday School Class, Small Group or Bible Study
• Sign up for a class through OLLI


ACT
Share knowledge with others
• Lead a small group this fall
• Invite friends to join you in worship or Sunday School
• Volunteer with children or mentor youth and adults

Put into practice
• One teaching from the book of Proverbs
• One principle from Jesus Sermon on the Mount

Principles for Everyday Leaders ~ Celebration

Today I thought it would be more beneficial for us to experience the sermon than just listen to it so we have been celebrating Vacation Bible School because celebration is an important principle of leadership.  While some people may think it’s a waste of time, energy and resources to celebrate when we have accomplished something wonderful in our lives, businesses, families or church – it’s not.  Celebrating is important and as leaders we need to learn how to celebrate and what real God-honoring celebration is all about.  There are three parts of true celebration that we have experienced today and these three things need to be part of every celebration: Savoring the achievement, Honoring the work of others, Praising God

These three components of celebration are found in one of the great celebration stories in the Bible, the story of Nehemiah who organized a huge celebration after they rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem.  Nehemiah was a man who used the position and influence he had as a cup-bearer to the king to ask the king of permission and resources to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem which had been destroyed during a war.  Nehemiah gathered materials and people and even though they faced strong opposition from their enemy, together they rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem – which was a huge accomplishment.  

After seeing the walls of Jerusalem myself this year, it added a whole new dimension to this story.  

Walls of Jerusalem

Walls of Jerusalem 

While these aren’t the walls Nehemiah helped rebuild because those walls were torn down later in history, just seeing the terrain of the area, and the size and scope of the city made me realize that what Nehemiah accomplished was significant and important.  The walls were needed to protect people so they could return to Jerusalem, live in safety, rebuild the Temple and establish worship and life for the people of Israel.  

Once Nehemiah completed the project it says that they spent time celebrating their work.  Nehemiah called together musicians and formed two choirs and then led all the men to the top of the walls where they surrounded the city and sang songs of praise.  The women and children sang from inside the walls and when they all gathered together it says that the sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away.  Not only was there singing but God’s word was read and the stories of how God cared for and provided for his people were shared and remembered and then Nehemiah told the people, go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks and send some to those who have nothing for this day is sacred to our Lord.  Do not grieve for the joy of the Lord is your strength.  (Nehemiah 8:10)   

What Nehemiah did was have the people savor their achievement by taking the time to stop and reflect on what they had done and this helped them see how their lives and work was just an ongoing part of the larger work of God.  What God started when he led his people out of slavery and through the Red Sea and into the promised land was continuing on in their lives.  They are part of God’s work and movement in the world and taking the time to reflect on this reminded them that God was still with them and for them.   By savoring this moment they remembered how God had been with them in the past and how God would be with them in the future.  

This is what it means to savor the achievement.  We need to stop and reflect on what we have done, where we have come from and where we are going.  Whether it is as a business or family, church or community – we are all part of something larger than ourselves and it is when we stop to savor the work we have done that we begin to see that.  These times of joyous reflection helps us see how far we have come and it gives us the energy and encouragement to keep going – after all, why would we want to stop now.  

Seeing the joy and energy of children this week, why would we want to stop now – we need to keep going!  Raising over $2,000 for a school is Sierra Leone is fantastic, why wouldn’t we want to keep going.  Think what God can do in us if He did this in a few days!  Savoring the achievement helps us not only tell the story of what God is doing in us and through us but it helps keeps us going.  

Celebration also honors the work of others and Nehemiah did this.  In fact, I can guarantee that Nehemiah 12 will never be read in worship because there are over 100 names listed and I can’t and wouldn’t try to pronounce any of them, but by listing these names Nehemiah is raising up the work of the people.  Nehemiah honors the work of others and makes sure they are part of the celebration.  For Nehemiah, the celebration isn’t about what he has done – it is about what others have done and will do.  He names workers, singers, choirs and those who will lead God’s people in the future.  He names families and clans and those who will return to the city to help rebuild the Temple and storehouses so life can resume in Jerusalem.  Nehemiah is honoring the work of others and that needs to be part of our celebration.  

We have done that today with VBS , but now let me honor all of you by saying that you all support this work through your prayers, money, patience, smiles, enthusiasm and encouragement.  I was stopped in the grocery store twice this week by people telling me how great the sanctuary looks and how great our volunteers are working with the children.  Not every church would allow all this to happen but you do because you know the story – we are touching the hearts and lives of children and families and they are touching our lives and together we are experience the power and presence of God.  I honor all of you for what you do not just with VBS, but with everything you do and everything you allow God to do in and through you.  That’s what it’s really about.  It’s not about what we do but about what God wants to do and is doing in us and through us.  That’s what we need to honor, the gifts of God we see in others.  

And that brings us to God.  Real celebration is all about God.  It’s praising God for what God has done and is doing.  What we are able to do in VBS could not be done without God.  God gives the creativity and passion, God gives the talent and abilities.  God gives the finances and resources.  God provides people to walk with, love and work with the children.  God provides the food we serve, the music we sing, the voices we use, the bodies we move, the hearts that love and the faith we share.  God is the one who brings it all together by helping us come together and work together and God is the one who holds it all in balance. God is the one who gives the patience when we get on each other’s nerves, the forgiveness we share, the inspiration we provide, the laughter that encourages and the energy that ignites the passion in others.  No one person does this and honestly – no group of people does this – it is God who does this through all of us and we can never forget that.  

Nehemiah knew how everything came together to rebuild the walls, how they were able to do the work while under verbal and physical assault and how quickly they were able to get it done was all because of God’s power and help.  Nehemiah knew God would be the one to do it all which is why before he did anything – he prayed.  Nehemiah prayed for God’s vision and God’s passion to become a reality – which it did.  The walls were rebuilt, so the celebration wasn’t just of what they were able to accomplish together, but of how God made it all possible.  

Today, we have been praising God because all of this is from Him.  We praise God because who we are today and where we are going reminds us that we are just part of God’s larger story of how He works in the world.  We need to savor this today because being part of God’s story and God’s movement makes all the difference in our live.  We are part of something much larger than ourselves and together we can accomplish even greater things.  We praise God for being able to honor the work of those God has brought together today because it is only together as the body of Christ that we are able to do these things.  

Savoring the accomplishments, honoring the work of others and praising God is what it means to celebrate.  Nehemiah celebrated thousands of years ago because they did something great and rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem, and we celebrate today because we know that we are part of God’s ongoing story.  We are rebuilding the walls of faith and inviting people to experience true life by experiencing the power of God and the grace and love of Jesus Christ.  So all I can say is let’s keep celebrating now and forever.    

Next Steps

Leadership Principles ~ CELEBRATION

God honoring Celebration includes:

Savoring Achievement

Identify an achievement in your life, family, church or community that you can savor.  Sharing this with others.

Honoring the Work of Others

Identify good work, gifts and talents in others and find ways to honor them this week.  Send a note or gift of appreciation.  Say thank you.  Share the story of their work with others.

Praising God

Each day this week read about celebrations in the Bible and celebrate God’s goodness and love in your life.  

• Monday - Nehemiah 8 and 12:27-47

• Tuesday - Psalm 145

• Wednesday - Isaiah 35

• Thursday - Matthew 22:1-14

• Friday - Luke 5:27-39

• Saturday - Luke 15:1-31 (especially 22-37)

• Sunday - Revelation 19:1-9

Throw an party!  Here are some things to celebrate:

Today is National Lollipop AND Ice Cream Day

Wednesday is National Hot Dog Day

July 28th is National Chocolate Milk Day

July 30th is National Cheesecake AND Father-in-law’s Day.

Principles for Everyday Leaders ~ Generosity

As we discuss the principle of generosity today, it is important for us to understand what we are and aren’t talking about.  Generosity is NOT making a large one time gift, although that might be generous, and we aren’t talking about occasional gifts to support the work of the church or various causes that help others.  What we ARE talking about is a lifestyle where every use of our time, talents, position and possessions helps others.  Let me say that again, the principle of generosity is a lifestyle were every use of our time, talents, position and possessions helps others or adds value to the lives of others.

One of the most generous people I have ever known was by Grandmother.  While she never worked at a job, she spent much of her time helping care for those around her.  With her time and talents and money she supported many causes in her church and community and she consistently gave to those around her.  Later in life she gave many of her possessions away to the family and she didn’t give them grudgingly but with great joy.  She opened her home graciously to all her family and friends and while she was always helping others, she never spent much on herself.  She drove old cars, seldom bought new clothes and was always looking to use up left-overs before she would cook something new.

When it finally dawned on me that my Grandmother had “considerable resources” I asked her one day why she worked so hard to cut coupons (she had this shoe box full of them) and she told me, I have money today because I use coupons.  To me, my grandmother was an example of generosity because she never thought of herself but was always thinking of others.  She seldom spent money on herself but gave consistently and generously to others.  Her comment when it came time to give a tip in the restaurant was I have often felt bad for leaving too little but I have never felt bad for leaving too much.  To me, she embodied a lifestyle of giving – she was generous.

A great biblical example of generosity is Jonathan.  Jonathan was the son of King Saul and as the heir to throne of Israel – Jonathan had it all.  He had position and status and power and with all of that came the wealth needed to provide for himself and his family, but in his heart Jonathan always seemed to put others first.  Jonathan was also a very successful leader.  I 1 Samuel 14 there is a wonderful story of Jonathan and his aide sneaking into the enemy camp and all alone defeating their enemy.  Together they killed over 20 of their enemies which put the entire enemy camp into so much chaos that they are easily defeated.  After this victory – Jonathan could very easily have emerged as the new king of Israel.  He could have used this success as a leader to promote himself – but he didn’t – he thought of others.

In time Saul, Jonathan’s father, was removed as king and God made it clear that David was going to be the new king.  This not only meant Jonathan was no longer in line to be king, but that he would also lose any power, position and wealth he may have had.  When this became clear to Jonathan, he didn’t think of himself and try to hold on to his place, he thought of David and pledged his loyalty and commitment to him.  In 1 Samuel 20:4 Jonathan says to David, Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do for you.  This is generosity.  Whatever you want me to do – I’ll do for you.  Whatever I can do with my time, my money, my talents and abilities, my possessions, my energy and my prayers – I’ll do for you.  Generosity is a lifestyle where every use of our time talents, position and possessions helps other and adds value to their lives.

I am so glad that Lee Weaver was here today to talk about how our giving at this time last year time helped the people of Sierra Leone because it reminds us that we are already a generous congregation.  We have a commitment to giving to those in need whether it is here in Bellefonte through the Faith Centre, or people in need in places like Mississippi, Oklahoma and Ohio or the people of Sierra Leone.  We are already embracing a lifestyle of giving so the questions isn’t how to become generous but how to deepen our generosity.  Like I said last week, God already sees us as leaders and God sees us generous leaders so today he wants us to intentionally develop this principles so we can have more influence in our world.
Generosity is an important leadership principle today because having all the right information isn’t as important to people as being genuinely involved and engaged in helping make things right.  Vital leaders are those who show they care by investing themselves sacrificially in a cause that brings about positive – life giving change.  People want to follow these kind of leaders. People want to follow someone who shows they care by their generosity, so let’s look at 5 things we can do to deepen our generosity and learn how to give more.

1.  Be grateful for what we have.  Generosity begins with gratitude for what we have and seeing all that we have as a gift from God.  It is also important for us to be grateful for what we have no matter how much it is.  If we aren’t grateful for what little we have then we won’t be grateful if we suddenly receive more.  Gratitude is NOT a matter of quantity – it IS a matter of quality – the quality of our heart.  Jonathan had this kind of heart.  When he had a lot he used it to help others and when it was all taken away his heart didn’t change – he was still grateful and helped others.  So generosity begins with gratitude.

2.  Put other people first.  Jonathan put his people first, he put the men who fought with him first and he put David, the king who would take his place, first.  We will never learn to be generous until we learn how to put the lives of others before our own.  When we really see the value in others it will move us give more of what we have and more of who we are to help them.  If you remember the movie Schindler’s List, there is a powerful moment when Oscar Schindler finally sees the value in the Jewish people he was been working to save.  While he gave much of what he had to help the Jewish people through the war, there is this moment where he realized he could have given more and that each gift could have saved one more life.  When we put others first – really put them first – we learn to give more of who we are and what we have to help them and save them.

3.  Don’t allow possessions to possess us.  Richard Foster, the author of Celebration of Disciple, says owning things is an obsession in our culture.  If we own it, we feel we can control it; and when we control it, we feel it will give us more pleasure. This idea is an illusion.  Too many times we let our possessions possess us and the more they get a hold on us, the more we hold on to them and the more we hold on to them the harder it is to let go and give.  To embrace a lifestyle of giving we have to be able to let go.

4.  Think of money as a resource to use not a commodity to keep.   What we are talking about here is stewardship vs. ownership.  A steward is someone who understands that all they have has been given to them as a trust to use for others where an owner is someone who understand that all they have is theirs.  The truth is that all of us are stewards because what we have is a gift from God to use for His purpose and His kingdom.  From our time, to our talents, to our money, all that we have is from God and God doesn’t give things for us to store up and keep – he gives so that we can share and give life to others and the more we see ourselves as stewards the more we will give and the more generous we become.

5. Give.  Develop a habit of giving my giving.  Give your time.  Give your money.  Give you energy.  Give your prayers.  Give your relationships.  Give your talents and abilities.  Give your service.  Just give.  The more we give, the more we learn how to give and the more we give, the more we want to give.  We develop a habit of giving by giving – there is no other way.  The Indian poet, Rabindaranath Tagore said, All that is not given is lost.  And Jesus said those who lose their lives in this world save it, but those who save their lives will lose it.  The same is true with our wealth.

This week we have many opportunities to give.  We can give to children and families through our time and prayers for VBS.  We can give to Sierra Leone through our gifts and prayers.  We can give ourselves to deepening leadership skills by signing up to be part of the Leadership Summit.  I invite you to take another step on the road to generosity and vital leadership and give.



Next Steps
Leadership Principles ~ GENEROSITY


1.  Give Thanks:  Take 5 minutes every morning and evening to give thanks for what God has given you.  Be specific and creative.  Remember to give thanks for people and opportunities not just possessions.


2.  Give Away: Give away something of value this week.  It can be your money, your possessions or your time.


3.  Give Intentionally:  Financially support someone who is trying to do something positive in and for others.  This can be a local business, an individual in mission, the work of the new food bank or our Vacation Bible School’s offering to support the work in Pa Loko, Sierra Leon.


4.  Give to the Future:  Mentor a child, youth, adult or family.  Sharing our faith, wisdom, experience and leadership can be the most generous gift we can offer and can make the biggest impact in the world both today and tomorrow.


All that is not given is lost.
~Rabindranath Tagore~

When we give freely, we grow all the richer.
~Proverbs 11:24~

Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
~Jesus~

Principles for Everyday Leaders ~ Commitment

We celebrate our freedom every Fourth of July because over 230 years ago there were men and women committed to establishing a nation free and independent from England.  The Declaration of Independence states:

These United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do.

These were not just words to the people of the original 13 colonies; this was not just an ideal to think about, this was what they fought for.  Their commitment to freedom is what made our nation free.  Commitment is a vital leadership principle because it is our commitment that turns our passion and courage into action.

Commitment is action.  Commitment is taking that first step forward and then pushing through the obstacles and stretching our limits to make our passion and vision a reality.  Commitment in sports isn’t thinking about going out to practice - it is getting out the door and doing it.  Commitment in marriage isn’t saying you will forgive one another - it is forgiving and working through the challenges that come up every day.  Commitment to Jesus isn’t believing he is our savior and lord - it is living according to the teachings and example of Jesus as our Savior and Lord.

Commitment is action.  It is an action that moves us forward again and again and again because we are sold out and all in for the cause.  Gideon was a committed leader in the Old Testament and what makes him a great leader for us to consider today is that he started out exactly where many of us start out – reluctant, afraid and asking God for a sign.

When I was at a crossroad in my life I felt God leading me to return to college.  I had dropped out after three years but the direction I had wanted to go came to a dead end so I was left asking God what he wanted from me now.  I felt like I was to return to MSU, but I wasn’t sure.  I was reluctant, afraid and looking for a sign, so I said, God, if you want me to do this you need to give me a sign.  I need to get back into MSU and its already late in the year to apply so I’m not sure I can get in.  I applied and in a few weeks got the letter saying I was accepted.  There was the sign, but I still wasn’t committed because I thought maybe that sign was too easy so I asked God for another sign and this time I made it harder  

There was one section of housing at MSU that I really wanted to live in if I was going to return, but they were not easy to get into so I said, God if you want me back at school, I want to live in Spartan Village.  I applied for an apartment and in a few weeks I got the notice that I had one and so then I moved forward.  I wasn’t fully committed to God’s direction when I began so I asked for a sign or two before I moved forward and that is what Gideon did.

Gideon was not a committed leader when God called him.  In fact he was called by God while he was threshing wheat in a winepress, Judges 6:11.  Now what’s important to know is that threshing wheat in a winepress was not normal.  People would thresh wheat out in the open on a large flat rock where you could beat the wheat on the rock and break the kernels apart.  The chaff would be carried away by the wind and the good grain would fall to the ground.  It made sense do this out in the open but Gideon was doing it in a winepress because he was afraid.  All of Israel was being terrorized by the Midianites who, when they saw the people of Israel working in the fields, would come and take their grain and livestock leaving them with nothing. Gideon is threshing wheat in the protection of a garden and winepress because he didn’t want to be noticed.  He wanted to stay safe.

So Gideon is a very ordinary man when God called him and yet look at how the angel of God addresses him – Judges 6:12.    Mighty Warrior – Gideon is hiding in a winepress and yet God sees him as a Mighty Warrior.  Many times God sees more in us than we ever see in ourselves.  God sees the leaders that we already are and if we are willing to commit to that and step out in faith to live into that reality – we will become all God sees in us.

Gideon did not immediately commit himself to the cause of God.  In fact, he is very reluctant.  Gideon questioned the angel who called him and then asked God for a sign that he was to step forward.  Judges 6:13-18.  When I read that I could help but think that this sounds like many people today, even many leaders.  We push back on what God is asking for from us and we question God’s plans, but Gideon’s reluctance and questions didn’t disqualify him from being a leader – in fact, his reluctance and questions helped make him a more committed leader but only because he was willing to move forward and take that first step.  Even though he was reluctant, afraid and wanted some assurance God was with him, Gideon did move forward, the first thing he did was bring an offering to God.

God then used that offering to give Gideon a sign.  When Gideon placed his offering of bread and meat on a rock and then touched the tip of his staff to the rock, the meat and bread were consumed by fire, not a fire from the sky in the form of lightning, but a fire that came up from the rock.  This was a sign that God’s power was with him.  But Gideon wanted more.  The second sign was when Gideon laid out a wool fleece and asked God to make the fleece wet and the ground dry.  When morning came the fleece was wet and the ground was dry, but Gideon still wasn’t sure so he asked for a third sign and wanted God to make the ground wet and the fleece dry.  In the morning the ground was wet but the fleece was dry.

Now Gideon was committed – totally committed, but that commitment didn’t come immediately, it came through small steps and actions that deepened his conviction and strengthened his commitment even though he was reluctant.  Small steps forward will deepen our conviction and lead to a stronger commitment, but it has to start somewhere.  Commitment always has that first tangible step that comes from a decision made in our hearts.
Last week we saw that courage always begins in the heart; it is making the decision to stand up and be counted no matter the cost and once that decision has been made commitment turns that decision into action. Commitment takes the first step forward, but it doesn’t end with the first step; it takes more steps because we are convinced that we are doing what needs to be done.  Gideon’s commitment to God is fully seen in Judges 7 where God calls him to take an army out to fight the Midianities.

Gideon gathers an army of 33,000 men to go into battle but God says, Gideon, you have too many men.  Now you would think Gideon, who has been reluctant to move forward, would question God’s wisdom here because how can you have too many men when you are going into battle?  But Gideon doesn’t question God, he is fully committed.  He’s sold out and all in with God so Gideon simply divides the men and sends home those who are afraid.  23,000 men went home that one day.

Gideon still has a sizeable force to go into battle, 10,000 men, but God says, you still have too many men so divide them again.  Those who lap water with their hands from the stream will go with you, but those who lap water with their faces in the stream will go home.  So Gideon goes down to the stream and can you imagine his dismay when 9,700 men all get down and put their faces in the water to drink – they are the ones going home.  Gideon’s army is now 300 men.  300 men to go against the hordes of the Midianites, but again there is no reluctance on Gideon’s part – he is committed, he will take his 300 men and go fight.

Then God comes to him again and says, send them into battle but don’t send them with swords or spears, send them with trumpets in one hand and torches in jars in the other hand.  300 men with trumpets and torches to go against the well-armed Midianite army and again Gideon does not complain or pull back because he is committed.  He is sold out for God and moves forward with his 300 men armed with trumpets and torches but Gideon knows there is more because he knows God is with him.  Gideon knows he is moving forward with the power of God.  That is commitment.

Gideon was an everyday leader who became committed to God by taking small steps of faith that proved God to be trustworthy.  We learn to be committed to God, to a cause, to our family, to our job, to what is right by taking small steps forward and never looking back.  Commitment is important for leaders because we won’t follow people who aren’t committed.  If we don’t see our leader 100% committed to the cause, we won’t follow them.  God needed 300 men to see Gideon’s complete commitment, so he nurtured that commitment until it was strong and when those men committed to Gideon and the cause of God, it gave them the strength to go into battle armed only with torches and trumpets.  God can nurture and strengthen our commitments if we will take the small steps forward and then keep on going and as we do, others will be drawn to our side willing to work with us.  Just like passion and courage, commitment is contagious.

To evaluate and strengthen our commitments, let’s look at three specific steps we can take.

1. Name it. What we are committed to?  What are those things that we are willing to die for?  What and who will we give everything for?  What are things we simply won’t stop doing and giving ourselves to?  The reality is that we are all committed to something and it is important to make sure we are committed to the right things.  So identify and write down these commitments.

2.   Measure it.  Once we can name what it is we are committed to we need to honestly and objectively measure that commitment.  To measure our commitments we need to look at three specific areas of our lives: our time, our relationships and our money.

First look at your calendar and identify where you spend your time.  For many of us the bulk of our time might be spent at work, but what about our free time?  If we say that family is our #1 commitment, what % of our free time do we spend with them?  If we are committed to God, what % of our time do we give to worship, prayer and reading God’s word?   Where we spend our time will help us see what it is we are really committed to.

Second, look at our relationships.  If our marriage and family is a top commitment, how much time and energy do we spend investing in those relationships?  How much time do we spend together as a family?  What specific things are we doing when we are together?  Is it just watching TV and movies or is there conversation and activity that brings us closer together?  Who we spend our time with also helps define what we are really committed to.

And then this is where it really gets tough - where do we spend our money?  In many ways this will be the most revealing to us about our commitments.  If we are committed to God – how much money goes to the work of God?  If we are committed to certain causes and issues, how much money do we give to them?  If we are committed to helping those who are hungry and in need, how much money do we actually give to the food bank compared to how much we spend on ourselves and eating out?  Our money reflects our commitments.

3.  Announce it.  If we really want to strengthen our commitments then we need to share with others what we are committed to because then we will be more likely to work for it.  Once we make our decisions public, it’s hard to take them back.  Unless God changes some plans, I don’t think I can take back my decision to go to Sierra Leone – I made that decision public in part because I want to make that a commitment in my life.  John Maxwell calls this the Edison Method because when Thomas Edison would come up with a good idea for an invention he would announce what he was going to do and then he would have to go and do it.  Making our commitments public strengthens our conviction to follow through.

Commitment is vital to every leader and yet we don’t suddenly arrive one day fully committed, it takes time.  It takes time to reflect on our passion and courage, we need small victories and successes to help us see ourselves as leaders and know that we can move forward with God’s power.  In many ways commitment is a process – but it has to start with action.  What one step can we take today that will lead us to becoming a fully committed leader at home, at work, in the church or community?  God created us to lead and he sees us and calls us to be leaders, will we commit ourselves to this and take that first step forward.


Next Steps
Leadership Principles ~ COMMITMENT


1.   Name your commitments.
• Who and what is most important to you?
• What are those things you are willing to do die for?
• What things will you not stop doing or give up?


2.  Measure your commitments.
• Where do you spend your time (free time)?
• Where do you spend your money (discretionary money)?
• Who do you spend your time with?
Are these results in line with your commitments from Step 1?


3. Share your commitments.  When we make public our commitments we will be more likely to work toward them.


4.  What one commitment do you want to focus on during the next month?  Name one action you can take to keep this commitment and make it stronger?


5.  Evaluate your commitment to the church.  Membership vows for Faith Church ask:  “Will you faithfully participate in the ministry of Faith Church through your prayers, your presence, your gifts, your service and your witness?”
• Where are you strong?
• Where (and how) can you improve?