If…Then…

If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil,

if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted,

then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday.

The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong;

and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail.

Isaiah 58:9b-11 [emphasis added]

Do you remember learning about “if…then…” statements in school? It is a statement of condition and consequence. The ‘then’ will happen- but only after the ‘if’ is done.

When Jesus commands that we “love one another as I have loved you” [John 15:12], what does that mean? He paid the ultimate price for us. He gave up Himself…for us. HE loved us by putting us before Himself. In turn, we should love others in that way…putting others before ourselves.

IF it is God that we want…THEN we will obey His commandments. [John 14:15]

IF we keep His commandments… THEN we will abide in His love. [John 15:10]

IF we are abiding in His love… THEN we are loving others as He loved us. [John 15:12]

IF we are loving in that way… THEN we shall be like a watered garden. [Isaiah 58:6-12]

-In Him

The Law of Sacrifice

Law #18 of John Maxwell's The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership is:

The Law of Sacrifice: A Leader Must Give Up To Go Up

Maxwell notes that, while every person may have a different ‘why’ which motivates him/her to step forward and lead others, one thing every leader will have to do is make sacrifices. He notes a common misconception that people ‘at the top’ just get to enjoy all the power and perks that come with the position, but they don’t consider what those people had to give up to get there…and what they continually give up to stay there.

“If you desire to become the best leader you can be, then you need to be willing to make sacrifices in order to lead well.”

Some things to know about the Law of Sacrifice

1. There is no success without sacrifice. “Every person who has achieved anything in life has made sacrifices to do so…regardless of profession.” Ralph Waldo Emerson: “For everything you have missed, you have gained something else; and for everything you gain, you lose something.” This includes sacrificing many good things.

2. Leaders are often asked to give up more than others. Leaders must be willing to put others ahead of themselves and give up more than the people they lead. - [see picture above, from Maxwell, p 233]

3. You must keep giving up to stay up. Leaders face a problem whenever they think that they have ‘arrived’ and earned the right to stop sacrificing. It is an ongoing process and sacrifice needs to be continual. If a leader gets complacent and no longer wants to sacrifice, S/he will likely not continue to grow.

4. The higher the level of leadership, the greater the sacrifice. Maxwell gives the analogy of an auction. In the beginning, when the price is lower, everyone is bidding. As the price goes up, fewer and fewer people continue to bid. Ultimately, only 1 person is willing to sacrifice the most [in this case, money] for the item. As leaders, the higher we want to go, the more it will cost us.

Applying the Law of Sacrifice to Your Life

1. Give some thought to whether you are willing to sacrifice for the sake of those you lead and for the sake of your mission. Create 2 lists- one with those things you would be willing to give up and the other with those things you are not. Be sure to note where health, marriage, children, friends, finances, etc fit in.

2. Sacrifice usually involves giving up something of value that you do have for something [potentially] more valuable that you don’t have. What do you have to offer? And what is that more valuable thing you want to sacrifice for?

3. Maxwell describes ‘destination disease’ as a dangerous mind set leaders can have that will set them up for ultimate plateaus, set backs and possible failure. It is the idea that you can just sacrifice for a season and then ‘arrive,’ thinking no further sacrifice is necessary to ‘stay at the top.’ Consider areas where you may be in danger of having ‘destination disease.’ Write them down and create a statement of ongoing growth that you can use to motivate you when you find yourself in that situation. [For example, if you think you no longer need to learn after college, create a statement like, “I will make it my practice to learn and grow in one significant area every year.”

Reference:

Maxwell, John. The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Chapter 18- The Law of Sacrifice. Thomas Nelson, Nashville, TN; 2007

They That Wait On The Lord

They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength

They shall mount up with wings like eagles

They shall run and not be weary

They shall walk and never faint.

Isaiah 40:31

How amazing is the eagle!

So royal, above the fray.

Sitting up higher than most, as it spots its prey.

Then, seemingly effortless, it parts its wings up to 7 feet and glides-

smoothly and as light as a feather, it decorates the sky

Its strength and resolve command our admiration.

As its long lifespan represents renewal and longevity, it commands our appreciation.

This is what we become when we wait on Him who renews us.

We glide and we soar.

We are strong and focused.

We have endurance and we persevere.

We are redeemed!

-In Him

The Bread of Adversity

Though the Lord may give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction,

yet your Teacher will not hide himself any more, but your eyes shall see your Teacher.

And when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left,

your ears shall heat a word behind you saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

– Isaiah 30:20-21

Perhaps, the guidance that we so long for from God comes when we can see and know Him more. Perhaps, it is eating the bread of adversity and drinking the water of affliction that helps us to know Him more. Perhaps we really do need to count it all joy when we face trials, as the Book of James tells us in chapter 1. Trials test our faith, which produces endurance. Through that process, we know our Teacher’s face more and more. The more we know Him, the better we can discern the Holy Spirit- which tells us ‘this is or isn’t the way….go right now…go left.’

Hallelujah!

-In Him

The Law Of Priorities

Law #17 of John Maxwell's The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership is:

The Law of Priorities: Leaders Understand That Activity Is Not Necessarily Accomplishment

Maxwell discusses here that good leaders need to prioritize on an ongoing basis…always. It is easy to be ‘doing something’…to be ‘busy.’ But, “busyness does not equal productivity.” Thus, it is key for a leader to have priorities so that s/he can decide on the necessary things to do. Prioritizing also forces you to think ahead- always considering what is next- which helps to continue moving toward the vision. Lastly, prioritizing causes us to sometimes do things that are uncomfortable. If something is truly a priority, we will even sometimes do what we don’t want or like to do in order to satisfy it.

“Leaders can’s afford to just think inside the box. Sometimes they need to reinvent the box- or blow it up.” “The leader defines the reality” [Max Dupree]. Maxwell notes that he takes 2 weeks each year to reflect and reevaluate his priorities and goals. He notes if you focus on those things that fall in the top 20% in terms of importance, you will have an 80% return on your effort. [eg if you have 10 people under you, you should devote 80% of your time to the top 2.]

The Three Rs

Maxwell uses these as guidelines to evaluate priorities.

1. What is required? This answers the question- ‘What must I do that nobody can or should do for me?’ “If I’m doing something that’s not necessary, I should eliminate it. If I am doing something that’s necessary but not required of me personally, I need to delegate it.”

2. What gives the greatest return? People are most productive and satisfied when they function within their areas of “natural gifting and strength”. “Leaders should get out of their comfort zone, but stay in their strength zone.” Maxwell uses the following benchmark- if what he is doing can be done 85% as well by someone else, he delegates it [which sometimes requires training someone else]. “Just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should di it.”

3. What brings the greatest reward? What gives you the most personal satisfaction? “Life is too short not to do some things you love.” That does not mean that you won’t ever do things you don’t love. But, “passion provides the fuel in a person’s life to keep him going.”

The best leaders seem to be able to get the Law of Priorities to work for them by satisfying multiple priorities with each activity. This actually enables them to increase their focus while reducing their number of actions.”

Applying the Law of Priorities to Your Life

1. You need to get out of your comfort zone if you want to live and work according to your priorities. Can you identify anything in your life that is just ‘not working’? It will require a major change in how you have been doing things. Describe how it is not working and why it is not working. Try to think “outside the box” or “make your own box” to figure out how to solve the problem in a way that is aligned with your priorities. If your life is not aligned with your priorities- you will always have conflict.

2. If you have not done so, write out the answers to the three ‘R’ questions [include family and other priorities- not just career].

a. What is required of me?

b. What gives the greatest return?

c. What brings the greatest reward?

Next, make a list of those things you are doing in your life that don’t ‘solidly’ fit into one of the 3 R’s. You need to delegate or eliminate these things.

3. As the leader of your team, you need to take responsibility for prioritizing and thinking ahead in the area you are directing. Carve out regular, specific time to review priorities on an ongoing basis. It is not enough for you, the leader, to be successful. You have to help your team be successful.

Reference:

Maxwell, John. The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Chapter 17- The Law of Priorities. Thomas Nelson, Nashville, TN; 2007

Forming the Right Team

Here lies a man who knew how to enlist the service of better men than himself. [Andrew Carnegie’s Tombstone]

Part of effective leadership is placing the right people around us, particularly those who are strong where we are weak.

-In Him

The Law Of The Big Mo

Law #16 of John Maxwell's The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership is:

The Law of The Big Mo: Momentum Is a Leader’s Best Friend

Maxwell explains with this law that, although a leader may have all the right people, passion and tools in place to realize a vision, unless there is actual movement forward in a real way toward that goal, he/she is ‘dead in the water’ as a leader.

“If you can’t get things going, you will not succeed.”

Truths About Momentum

“Why is momentum a leader’s best friend? Many times momentum is the only thing that makes the difference between losing and winning. When you have no momentum, even the simplest tasks seem impossible. Small problems look like insurmountable obstacles. Morale becomes low. ” It is just so hard to get going- like sitting on a swing, completely still- and trying to get started. “On the other hand, when you have momentum on your side, the future looks bright, obstacles appear small, and troubles seem inconsequential.” How easy is it to keep swinging once you are already going nice and high?

1. Momentum is the great exaggerator. When a team is on a roll, everything seems to work out. Every goal seems to be met. Every problem seems easily solved. Conversely, when a team is in a slump, with no momentum, nothing seems to work out. Every obstacle seems huge and difficult to overcome.

2. Momentum makes leaders look better than they are. When leaders have momentum on their side, they seem like geniuses. People are more willing to overlook mistakes and weaknesses. Young leaders often don’t get the credit they deserve…they do not yet have momentum…so, they don’t seem as capable.

3. Momentum helps followers perform better than they are. With strong leadership and momentum, team members will be motivated and inspired to perform at higher levels.

4. Momentum is easier to steer than to start. It is much easier to keep swinging high than it is to start swinging from a still position.

5. Momentum is the most powerful change agent. “Momentum puts victory within reach.” With proper momentum, any kind of change is possible. “People like to get on a winning band wagon.”

6. Momentum is the leader’s responsibility. Creating momentum requires vision, as well as the ability to assemble the right team and motivate others. The leader creates momentum; followers catch it.

7. Momentum begins inside the leader. “You cannot kindle a fire in any other heart until it is burning within your own.” –Eleanor Doan

“Leaders always find a way to make things happen.”

Applying the Law of The Big Mo to Your Life

1. Momemtum begins with the leader. Have you taken responsibility for the momentum in the area of which you are in charge? You must model the attitude and work ethic you would like to see in others.

2. Motivation is key in developing momentum. First, you need to remove any de-motivating factors. Can you identify any environmental/interpersonal issues that may be putting a damper on passion and motivation? Think about how to eliminate or change those into something nurturing.

3. Celebrating accomplishment is also necessary to build momentum. Make it a regular practice to acknowledge and celebrate accomplishments made by your team.

Reference:

Maxwell, John. The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Chapter 16- The Law of The Big Mo. Thomas Nelson, Nashville, TN; 2007