What in tarnation is incarnation?
Around Christmastime we hear the term “incarnation” more and more. Jesus…incarnate. And we have come to know the meaning of the term as “God with us.” As one encyclopedia put it:
The central Christian doctrine that God became flesh, that God assumed a human nature and became a man in the form of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the second person of the Trinity.
So, I was a little surprised to see the term “incarnational leader” in the book by my friend Dr. Brent Taylor. Brent is a pastor, teacher, author, speaker, historian, and generally good guy. In his new book, Presidential Leadership, Dr. Taylor titled the first chapter, “George Washington, Incarnational Leadership.” As the first president of the United States, Washington made his mark on the new nation and on the world. One of his close friends, in eulogizing General Washington, said of him, “First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen.”
How do you attain accolades like that in one of the most challenging tasks for a man leading a new country? Brent Taylor would say it is incarnational leadership. Let me explain. In Taylor’s mind, an incarnational leader is one who is with the people. And that leader is one who reflects the very nature of the organization or entity that they head up. The Oxford English Dictionary says of the word incarnational, “…to be an expression of or the tangible or viable presence to an idea, quality or feeling.”
We often identify a leader by what they do…what they accomplish. Yet Taylor says that first and foremost the incarnational leader is all about being. Therefore, things like values and character are not mere buzz words, they are central to their life and leadership. Brent Taylor spells it out this way:
“Good leaders know what they believe, why they believe it, and how to put those beliefs into practice.”
It is a good idea to look at the difference between a leader and a manager. Steve Jobs is quoted as saying, “Management is about persuading people to do things they do not want to do, while leadership is about inspiring people to do things they never thought they could.”
So, an incarnational leader is not a manager. Nor is he just a boss. The 26th U. S. President Theodore Roosevelt said, “People ask the difference between a leader and a boss. The leader leads, and the boss drives.” Dr. Taylor points out that leaders “…view themselves as fellow team members who are helping the entire team accomplish their goal.”
I hope you are getting the picture of what true incarnational leadership is all about. Author Kenneth Blanchard says in his book, Lead Like Jesus, “Leadership is not about power. It’s not about control; it’s about helping people live according to the vision.”
Remember the words of Jesus to His disciples. On several occasions these Christ-followers missed the point on true leadership. Jesus had to set them straight on the topic.
“Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.” Mark 9:35b NLT
Incarnational leadership had as an example the man who led America as it was being formed, and did it most often by example, with the people, in humility, as a servant.
The best example of this kind of leadership is, of course, Jesus Christ. He was the incarnational leader, the servant leader, and the One who shows us what true leadership is.
We should take stock in how we lead…and see how we measure up.
Oh…we got trouble…
The famous Broadway musical and movie The Music Man had a song with the words:
- What are my genuine necessities? So much of our time and effort is spent (or wasted) on the superficialities of life.
- Who am I becoming? I once asked a man if he is becoming who he wanted to be. His answer: “Oh, no, but I intend to – someday.”
- How do I want to be remembered? We see wealthy donors who want names on buildings; politicians who desire an historical legacy; and parents who want children who walk in faith. I am reminded of Fannie Crosby, the blind hymnist who wrote thousands of well-known and loved hymns. Her tombstone carries the simple epitaph: “Aunt Fannie: she did what she could.”
What's your legacy?
Most of us give little though to our legacy. In fact, if we do begin to talk about it, people think we are reflecting on our death. For many, that seems like a “downer” topic. Most of the time we simply live our lives, do our job, and fulfill the responsibility to friends and family. If we are fortunate, there might be some financial reward for close family after we are gone.
Yet we should be thinking of our legacy now. You don’t build a roof or walls of a home until you pour the foundation. And a legacy isn’t something you create near the end of your productive years. No, our legacy is the accumulation of all that has transpired in our lives and how we handle these things.
One organization talks about the importance of legacy this way:
A legacy is a part of a person that lives on long after that person has passed.... Legacies are important pathways...in order make better decisions in life.
Some say that without a sense of working to create a legacy, people seem to lose meaning in their life. That may seem extreme, but as we get older, we see the value of our lives counting, especially to family, friends, and associates. Winston Churchill famously said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Leaving a legacy means giving of yourself so that others may benefit even after you are gone.
So, what does that mean for us today? Most importantly, our legacy can communicate to others on a spiritual level. Henry Blackaby says,
“How you live your life is a testimony of what you believe about God.”
The Israelites were instructed to pass on to their children what wonderous things the Lord had done. And not just tell them once or twice. They were to remind them over and over as a way of imbedding the goodness of God in their hearts.
And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Deuteronomy 6:5-7 NLT
On a ministry or business level, leaving a legacy ensures that the good work of the organization can continue beyond the current leader. Management guru Peter Drucker said, “There is no success without a successor.” That might seem a bit extreme, but it is a good principle to remember.
John Maxwell also values the importance of a legacy.
“Legacies that matter are connected with people. A hundred years from now all that will matter is the people that you connected with in such a way that you added value and meaning to their lives. I believe the greatest legacy a leader can leave is having developed other leaders.”
Gregory Fasig, writing for an online blog, talked about six things you can do to help the process of leaving a legacy.
- Define it. What is the legacy you wish to leave?
- Share it. Don’t keep it a secret.
- Live it. Leaving a meaningful legacy means living and breathing it every day. Your legacy is something you’re passionate about, and it should influence who you are and how you live your life daily.
- Support it. The legacies we wish to leave must be supported. This may mean financially supporting this area of your interest and passion.
- Grow it. Help others see the light and why they should support your mission.
- Celebrate it. It’s worthwhile to set aside time to assess and celebrate the legacy you seek to leave. What better way to raise awareness than to bring people together, affirm the core values and beliefs of your legacy, share your goals and progress toward those goals, and recruit their assistance.
Fred Smith was a great leader, mentor, and business consultant. He was asked about legacy...what he wanted other to remember about him. His reply was profound.
“When I was a young man, I sat on a tombstone, and asked myself what I wanted the top of it to say when I was underneath it rather than sitting on top of it. I decided that the three words I wanted on my tombstone were...
‘He stretched others...’”
Think about your legacy. Then, vow to do something that will impact others after you have moved on.
Give thanks with a grateful heart
This is the Thanksgiving season in the U.S., harkening back to the early days of our nation as the Pilgrims settled in the northeast part of our country. Their first winter was brutal, but the native Indians helped them get through it. The Pilgrims wanted to show their gratitude...their thanks for the blessings they had received. It was 1621. The new colonists and the Indians shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies.
Almost 400 years later we find ourselves in one of the most challenging periods our world has experienced as we navigate a global pandemic that kills lives and decimates economies. So, how can we feel thankful in such turmoil? And when we personally know many who are impacted, how can we be thankful in the midst of such uncertainty?
A recent post by Thomas Nelson Bibles picked up on the theme of thankfulness in a day when it isn’t so easy. And they offered three strategies for nurturing gratitude when thankfulness is hard.
- Spend time in the Psalms. These passages are filled with praise and adoration. Hundreds of verses give thanks for all God has done, from creation to our own personal lives. The Psalms of David are especially good examples for us, like Psalm 9, 34, and 145.
- Get a second opinion. Often others have a better perspective on our situation and our blessings than we do. We can easily overlook God’s rich blessings when they are blotted out by our current problems. Others can help us look beyond today’s concerns to tomorrow’s promise of hope from the Lord.
- Expand your search beyond the obvious. The life of Joseph should remind us that what we see on the surface may have little relation to what God has for us in the years ahead. Joseph was betrayed by his brothers and sold into slavery. But when the famine came and the brothers had to go to Egypt, it was Joseph who responded in kindness. Remember his words. “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.” (Gen. 50:20 NLT)
As the Thomas Nelson article pointed out, “Joseph saw God’s hand at work in the setbacks of his life. He recognized the extraordinarily good that God brought from them. If we can find that same perspective in our lives, we’ll discover a never-ending stream of things to be thankful for.”
I often suggest to take a piece of paper and draw a line down the middle. The easy part is listing the problems and challenges on one side of the line. Then move over to the other side and begin to list God’s blessings. Life. Health. Family. Friends. On and on you can go as you think of how the Lord sustains and blesses even through the tough days.
Then...across the top of the page write this verse in bold letters:
“I am the Lord, the God of all the peoples of the world. Is anything too hard for me?”
Jeremiah 32:27 NLT
Personal note: I am sitting in the emergency room with my wife who is dealing with an ongoing problem with a hip replacement. In the last two months Judy endured three surgeries and now has the prospect of a fourth one. I’m reading these words I have just typed and I’m praying the truth of God’s Word, that what the Lord told Jeremiah those many centuries ago is still true today. I know it is. And, believe me...I am thankful for that firm foundation!
When leadership gets hard
I call it the “down” side of leadership. Most of us, in whatever leadership role we have, enjoy the good days when everyone seems on your side. All things are humming, and great things are being accomplished. We even get a bit energized when we have to have to deal with the “enemy,” whomever or whatever it is. Many times, that pulls the team together.
But what about the days when you have to go against the grain, against what the rest of the staff thinks or feels? What about when you have to discipline someone for their actions, or worse, when you have to let someone go from the team? Those are not the good days.
Someone once said you don’t learn to sail a boat in calm waters. It is in the storms...the wind and the heavy waves...that you learn the most. If you are facing a major challenge, that is probably not what you want to hear.
My recent walk through Nehemiah’s life and actions reminded me that he faced lots of opposition as a leader. Maybe the most striking to me was after the wall was built, the people
had worshiped the Lord, and Nehemiah had gone back to King Artaxerxes for a while. Upon his return he learned that one of the priests had provided a special room right on the Temple grounds for Tobiah, one of the men who had opposed Nehemiah in the building of the wall. Not a good thing. Here’s how Nehemiah described what happened next.
When I arrived back in Jerusalem, I learned about Eliashib’s evil deed in providing Tobiah with a room in the courtyards of the Temple of God. I became very upset and threw all of Tobiah’s belongings out of the room. Then I demanded that the rooms be purified, and I brought back the articles for God’s Temple, the grain offerings, and the frankincense. Nehemiah 13:7-9 NLT
It doesn’t stop there. Keep reading in Nehemiah 13 and you learn of many other wrongs that this leader had to set back right. I’m sure there were a lot of people very unhappy with Nehemiah and his leadership.
What makes this story stand out to me are three things:
- Nehemiah was following God’s plan, not his own
- Nehemiah was not doing these things for personal gain or acclaim.
- Nehemiah was less concerned about what men said or thought and was more concerned about pleasing the Lord.
Of course, that doesn’t make those kinds of days fun. I’m sure this great leader wished for calm days for himself and for God’s kingdom. But Nehemiah knew what he had to do, and he was willing to sail into the storm to set things right.
Computer scientist and U.S Navy Rear Admiral Grace Hopper once said, “A ship in port is safe, but that’s not what ships are built for.”The smooth, calm waters are not always what leaders get to sail in. As you lead, be sure you know God’s will...through prayer and Bible study. Don’t act out of desire for personal gain. And remember...you are serving God, not man.
Set your sail, leader. With the Lord by your side, you can weather the storm.
It’s important...really important!
Valerie Geller’s recent presentation at our MEDIAlliance Institute was powerful as she shared things that will help communicators...on radio, television, podcasts and more...connect with their audience and be more effective. Most of us have spoken at meetings when we saw by the expression on the faces of the people in the room that we were not getting through. Unfortunately, the media tools we use today rarely give us such immediate feedback.
Geller’s main premise is based on three simple principles.
- Tell the truth.
- Make it matter.
- Never be boring!
Simple, right? Simple to say, not always simple to do.
To be honest, Christian broadcasters have a great advantage. We have the first two items on her short list already taken care of. First, if we are proclaiming God’s Word, it is Truth. Jesus said:
“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32 NLT
Jesus was not just talking about any truth, though that is how those in the academic world often apply it. He was talking about God’s Truth. And that is what we present to our audiences. The Truth that can set a person free from the bondage of sin and free to live an abundant life as the Lord directs. That is powerful.
And what about Valerie Geller’s point, “Make it matter?” What we deal with in Christian media doesn’t just improve the quality of life for us living in the here and now. The Truth we present has eternal implications. It can change a person’s destiny from death to life, from an eternity separated from God to one enjoying the presence of the Lord Jesus for all time. It matters!
Now the hard part. Never be boring. Geller says if what you are talking about isn’t important to you it will be obvious, and it will be boring to your audience. Sometimes the word “passion” comes into play here. Are you passionate about what you are sharing with others? Often your enthusiasm for a topic will draw in an audience. Likewise, your lack of passion causes listeners and viewers to quickly be bored and lose interest. And whether that is in a conference room, a church, on radio, television, or a podcast, once you lose the interest of the audience communication ceases to take place.
You don’t have to be a stand-up comic to keep the audience’s attention...though sometimes humor can be a great tool to both keep them listening and make your point. You do have to think and communicate creatively. And that takes effort, discipline, and work to do so consistently.
Think of the ways Jesus taught. He made it clear how hard it was for a rich person to get to heaven by talking about a camel going through the eye of a needle! Vivid and humorous if you try to picture it. He painted word pictures of a house built on sand and what happens when the storms of life come. I suspect no one ever got bored when Jesus spoke Truth.
So...as you present to your staff, your on-air audience, your potential podcast crowd, or your television viewers, see if you can hit all the marks that Valerie Geller says are ways to compelling communication...
- Tell the truth.
- Make it matter.
- Never be boring!
The world’s best tutor
When I was in school tutors weren’t such a prevalent thing. You didn’t hear terms like “mentor” or “life coach” much back then. I know I could have used tutors for some of the classes I took in my grade school days and my undergraduate years. But now we have a wealth of help for those who are still on the education track. And since I am a proponent of being a lifelong learner, I’m glad there is help there, too.
It has been my privilege to sit under the teaching of great pastors and Bible scholars. I did not have formal seminary training, so I’m really glad for the wisdom of those who did and who have poured God’s wisdom into me through all my years. I recognize the importance of studying God’s Word myself, but I sometimes struggle with what it might mean and what the Lord is trying to tell me and teach me. Anyone one else find themselves there? And as a ministry leader, I know how important it is to share more than good ideas... to share God’s ideas.
In my Scripture reading this morning I came across the very familiar story of Jesus on the road to Emmaus. I love that passage. You remember it. After Jesus’ crucifixion, burial, and resurrection, one of the first places He was seen was on a dusty road out of Jerusalem. A couple of the Christ-followers were walking rather dejectedly away from their disappointment and despair over what had transpired. It was the worst of all days for them. Then Jesus began to walk alongside them.
After Jesus led them through the Scriptures, then later revealed Himself to them, the men exclaimed...
Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?
Luke 24:32 NLT
That verse has touched me each time I have read it. But this time...something different emerged. It was the fact that Jesus explained the Scriptures to them. Jesus. One of the first things He did after the significant event of His resurrection was to walk among disciples and show them what the Word of God meant. And it changed the narrative for these men immediately.
If Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever...and He is...couldn’t I expect that His Spirit would be willing to explain Scripture to me? Yes, there is value in commentaries and pastors and teachers. But we should not think that we cannot discern God’s Truth with His help on a daily basis.
It helps me in this area are to ask some questions.
1. What is the passage saying? Context is critical.
2. What is the implication for the people of that day? How did they respond?
3. What is God saying to me? What does this mean for me personally...today?
A. W. Tozer in his book Man: The Dwelling Place of God addressed the idea of the Bible being difficult to understand.
“I believe that we find the Bible difficult because we try to read it as we would read any other book, and it is not the same as any other book.... The Bible is a supernatural book and can be understood only by supernatural aid.”
How important is it to read and discern God’s will in His Word? Dr. Henry Blackaby in Experiencing God reveals the value of dedicated, consistent spiritual growth.
“Grass that is here today and gone tomorrow does not require much time to mature. A giant oak tree that lasts for generations requires much more time to grow strong.”
Do you desire to understand God’s Word and His will in your life on a daily basis? The good news is that you have the best tutor ever to help you interpret Scripture and apply it to your life...so that you might grow into the spiritual oak tree that God wants you to be.
Success! Now what?
I was intrigued recently at John Maxwell’s comments in the Maxwell Leadership Bible. He looked at Nehemiah’s response and action after the successful rebuilding of the wall around Jerusalem, and from this biblical passage in the Old Testament Maxwell drew some interesting leadership insight.
Many of us set goals and have projects for our ministries and organizations that stretch us and often exhaust us. If we are not careful, we can let down our guard, enjoy the success of the project or event, and fail to lead properly. What was it that Nehemiah did that Maxwell caught?
Nehemiah didn’t let down his guard.
If you read the beginning of Nehemiah 7 you see that the massive work of rebuilding the wall and hanging the gates had been finished in spite of opposition and ridicule. It would have been easy to celebrate and relax. Not Nehemiah.
This amazing man of God quickly set specific instructions about watching and guarding the gate to the city of Jerusalem. He recognized the importance of looking at the next step in being not just successful, but diligent and obedient to the Lord.
Leadership guru John Maxwell says that leaders have to be willing to change their leadership style and stay on task even after a successful project or event.
“Two emotions usually follow a great achievement: first, a sigh of relief and celebration; and second, a sense of . . . now what? How we handle achievement tells us a lot about our character.”
Maxwell sees Nehemiah as a great example of how a leader needs to change with the times. He illustrates this by detailing the differences in how a person leads when situations change. He calls these two styles seasons.
Two Types of Leadership Seasons
1. Catalyst: Gets it going
2. Designer: Thinks it up
3. Motivator: Encourages
4. Entrepreneur: Relies on self
1. Consolidator: Keeps it going
2. Developer: Follows it up
3. Manager: Organizes
4. Executive: Relies on others
If a leader, especially after a great success or achievement, doesn’t move from one season to the next, the ministry may suffer. Nehemiah knew they couldn’t just celebrate the achievement of rebuilding the wall and gates. They needed to be diligent and have a plan for protecting the city and the people. He kept the success going by following up, organizing, and putting other people in his plan.
You may not feel you have an enemy ready to storm the gates, but we know that Satan is always roaming, looking for a weak place in our lives and our ministries to exploit and to defeat us. Be sure that you as a ministry leader and a spiritual leader adjust your plans and your style to ensure Satan doesn’t get a foothold for destruction.
Too busy? Then stop!
How busy are you? I can almost see you roll your eyes, sigh, and think about all that is on your agenda today…this week. I woke up the other morning at 3:15am thinking of several key projects I had on my list. I wasn’t sure if I would get back to sleep. Too much to think about!
So…where does “time with the Lord” show up on your To Do list? At the top? Near the bottom? Not on the list?
American Gospel singer Larnell Harris sang a song with words from God’s perspective.
I miss My time with you….
And it hurts me when you say
You're too busy, busy trying to serve Me
But how can you serve Me When your spirit's empty….
When I was manager of Christian radio station KCBI in Dallas, I often told the staff, “We can’t effectively send a message outside the walls of the station that isn’t happening inside the walls.
God’s love? Forgiveness? Grace? Humility? Are these evident in your ministry and in your work? I realized something as I would talk to the staff about that. It first had to begin with me. And it first had to begin with my personal time with God. Bible study. Prayer…and not just talking to God but listening to Him…to hear what the Lord wants to say to me.
I also realized I had to exhibit Jesus’ nature in my daily life. Love. Forgiveness. Grace. Humility.
The second radio station I ever worked for, while still in college, was a major market secular station. On one wall was a little sign that said:
To err is human; to forgive divine. Neither are the policies here!
It was meant as a joke, but it still sent the message: Don’t expect any grace in this place.
Martin Luther is quoted as saying,
"If I fail to spend two hours in prayer each morning, the devil gets the victory through the day. "
We can see that philosophy in the life of Jesus. We are often told of the Savior’s times of solitude and prayer.
Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray. Mark 1:35 NLT
Well, I’m not in Martin Luther’s realm in my prayer life. But I can follow the pattern Jesus set and carve out early hours for the study of God’s Word and a time of prayer...listening for His voice in my heart.
How about you? Let’s see what the Lord can do in our lives and in our ministries as we move towards more time with the Heavenly Father…before things become too busy.
Don’t over-think yourself
Our world is complicated and complex. And if we are not careful, we will over think situations and solutions that we need for our ministries and organizations. Sometimes simple is best. But in this complex world of technology, simple isn’t usually our first thought. Maybe it ought to be.
Many of us have sung the simple chorus, “O How He Loves You and Me,” by the late Christian composer, pianist and conductor Kurt Kaiser. I had the honor of getting to know Kurt through the years. On an occasion I drove the 90 miles south of my home to his home in Waco, Texas. We sat in his office/studio and he told me how that simple song came about.
Kurt was wanting a little chorus for a project he was working on. As will happen with artist and creative people, his mind was blank. Nothing would come. Looking around in his piano bench he came across a little piece of paper with some words on it he had written sometime before. Just a few words. Discarded when written...but found in this moment of creative need.
Kurt set the piece of paper on the music rack of his piano and began to look for a melody that would fit those few simple words. What he arrived at was a sweet, simple chorus that resonated with people because of its simple truth.
O how He loves you and me,
O how He loves you and me,
He gave His life, what more could He give?
O how He loves you, o how He loves me,
O how He loves you and me.
In Kurt’s words:
“In 1975, I sat down to think about that phrase and the whole song quickly came to me. I could not have spent more than 10 or 15 minutes writing the whole of it. That’s how rapidly it all came, the lyrics and the melody together. I sent it off to secure a copyright. I could not believe what came back in the mail.”
To his surprise, Kurt received a letter back from that office saying, “Mr. Kaiser, thank you for submitting your song for copyright. I’m sorry to inform you there is not enough original material for us to be able to legally protect it with a copyright.” The song was simply too simple.
Kurt, being the creative man that he was, quickly penned a second verse to the chorus, never intending it to be sung, only to secure that important copyright.
Jesus to Calv’ry did go,
His love for sinners to show.
What He did there brought hope from despair.
O how He loves you; O how He loves me;
O how He loves you and me!
That day in Kurt Kaiser’s studio/office he played that simple song. Even as I write these words, I get tears at the simple truth...the profound truth...of God’s amazing love for me and for you. Powerful.
For God so loved the world that He gave... John 3:16 KJV
Interestingly, during that visit, Kurt put on a tape of that song. Kurt Kaiser was a great improvisor, and he had taken the simple melody of that simple song and had woven it into an almost 10-minute piano piece as intricate as any classical piece by Debussy. The simple had taken on new life.
A few years later our Christian radio station had a special concert with a large symphony orchestra. Kurt was in the audience, and we had arranged a surprise. We called him up on stage at the symphony hall, he sat at the grand piano, and before thousands in that great concert hall, Kurt played that extended version of his simple chorus. Several times in the piece he would nod to the audience and they would begin to voice those simple words, softly...reverently...thoughtfully.
O how He loves you and me,
O how He loves you and me,
He gave His life, what more could He give?
O how He loves you, o how He loves me,
O how He loves you and me.
I will never forget that moment. The simple had become profound. Tears fell from many eyes. Professional musicians sat up in surprise. God was honored and His Truth was lifted in praise.
Sometimes...sometimes...the simple idea is the right idea.
And as a gentle reminder, it is not our idea that is important. It is the power of the Lord Jesus that is crucial.
He gave His life...what more could he give?
