Popping the Bubble
The Greek philosopher Aristotle recognized it over 2,300 years ago. There is no communication unless the audience receives and comprehends your message. In fact, Aristotle believed that communication didn’t really happen if it did not bring about some impact on the audience. He is quoted as saying:
“All communication must lead to change.”
Pretty strong statement. It doesn’t matter how loudly you say it, or how clever your words, if the audience doesn’t understand the message and doesn’t act on it, real communication hasn’t happened.
We sometimes sit in our studios on the television set, or at our computers, putting together good thoughts. But do we know if our viewers and listeners are hearing and understanding that message?
Years ago, I was on Rote Island in Indonesia. I was there for the dedication of a new Christian radio station. It was not only the first Christian station on the island, but the first radio station EVER on that island of some 100,000 people. It was exciting to see the young couples who worked so hard to establish that station tell of how God was fulfilling a dream of theirs. Mayors and government officials were there for the dedication. It was a powerful evening.
Just imagine, though, if these same leaders had ignored one critical thing. Radios. Most people did not have a radio. They hadn’t needed one. No radio, no receiving the radio signal. No signal, no message. No message, no communication.
However, these leaders did remember this important item. As the station was under construction, they encouraged churches in other parts of Indonesia to donate radios for the people on Rote. And now, with radios in homes all over this island, and with a new powerful station communicating God’s eternal truth, people were receiving the message. Communication was taking place.
How do I know its effectiveness? About a year later, the radio station, Sware Malole, began announcing about a listener meeting on a coming Friday and Saturday night. It was to be held at the little football (soccer) field near the port town of Ba'a. After a week or so of telling the people of the “listener meeting,” the nights came for the event.
Out of 100,000 people living on the island, 9,000 people showed up. At the listener meeting, they talked about the eternal hope found in Jesus Christ. And the speaker invited those in attendance to step forward to ask Jesus to be the Lord of their life.
Over 800 people committed their lives to Christ on those two nights. They acted upon what they had heard.
If Aristotle was right, that all communication must lead to change, then an amazing amount of communication went on, and eternal change came to hundreds of souls.
The radio station alone could not communicate effectively. There needed to be radios. And, of course, there needed to be listeners who heard, understood, and acted upon what they heard. Real communication.
[blockquote author="Romans 10:14 NLT" link="" target="_blank"]
But how can they call on him to save them
unless they believe in him?
And how can they believe in him
if they have never heard about him?
And how can they hear about him
unless someone tells them?
[/blockquote]
Who is your audience? What are they receiving? Is it clear? And is there change in their lives as a result? Don’t just broadcast God’s Truth. Communicate His Truth.
Rooted and Grounded
My trusty chain saw was in the garage gathering dust. Cold weather was on its way, and we needed some more wood to burn. So, I grabbed the saw and extension power cords (the saw is electric) and headed out back. We are blessed with a lot of trees on our property, and they occasionally die. At that point, they need to be cut down, both for safety and for us to burn during our occasional frigid Texas winter days.
While out cutting, I noticed two trees side by side. They were both dead. One was leaning too close to some overhead phone and power lines, so I got it down. The next one was obviously dead, too. Not wanting it to crash into the overhead lines, I reached over to pull on it and see what it would take to get it down.
To my surprise, the tree was easily pulled over. In fact, the bottom of the tree came right out of the ground. The roots had rotted, and offered no resistance as I tugged on the tree. Down it came.
If we are looking for them, we can often find life-lessons all around us. I got to thinking about that tree. A season ago, it was a living thing. Putting on leaves. Providing a resting place for birds, a playground for squirrels, and shade down below. Now...nothing. Ready to be cut up and burned.
Perhaps, like me, you have seen that happen in the lives of leaders. They stand out, stand tall, and bring benefit to those around them. They are living. They are serving. They have purpose. But somehow, some way, they fail to be nourished. Roots, that at one time went deep in order to grow and flourish, now receive nothing...and shrivel up. No strength. No nourishment to the rest of the tree. Nothing. Soon, they are no longer growing or leading. And sometimes they simply fall and are forgotten. Sad.
As leaders...and as spiritual leaders, especially...we need to keep our roots strong and the nourishment flowing. We need to be curious about God and His Word. We need to learn more about the ministry or craft to which we are called. We need to take on new life in order to be a blessing and a benefit to those around us.
We had a beautiful sunrise this morning. The sky was splashed with deep and vibrant colors. It reminded me that, like God’s mercies, His creativity is new every morning. The Lord is all about new things. Through the prophet Isaiah He said:
[blockquote author="Isaiah 43:19 NLT" link="" target="_blank"]For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?....[/blockquote]
Are you renewing your strength? Are you being nourished daily? Are you learning the new things that God is doing around you? Be careful. The roots of that tree in my backyard didn’t atrophy overnight. It happened little by little.
Let the fresh Spirit of our Lord renew you and nourish you daily. And may you continue to learn and grow in the areas of service and ministry God has given you. Stand strong and tall. Our world needs strong leaders who have the wisdom and power of God flowing through them daily. That is what He is calling you to be. His strong, tall tree...providing help, encouragement, truth, and refreshment to all around you.
Would you be surprised?
It startled me. And it got me thinking. It happened early one Sunday morning several weeks ago. If you have a smart phone, you’ve probably noticed they seem to get smarter every day. Yet, knowing that, I was still caught off guard.
Judy and I have a Sunday morning routine. We’re up early...around 5:00 a.m. We each do our Bible readings, I scan the newspaper, get ready for the day, and we head off to church. Now, while I put a lot of things on my phone calendar, I don’t put “church” there. It’s automatic for us.
That is why I was so startled.
That Sunday morning I picked up my phone and looked at a message on the home screen. It said:
[blockquote author="" link="" target="_blank"]Traffic is light, Ron. It will take you 34 minutes to get to 1707 San Jacinto Street.[/blockquote]”
That’s the location of our church! My smart phone had figured out our Sunday pattern without us entering that information into the phone. Amazing.
So, that started me thinking. I wonder what else my phone “notices” about me and my habits? We used to ask, “If someone found your check book and saw how you spent your money, would they know that you are a Christian and support God’s work?” Now, the questions might be addressed to Siri or Alexa or whomever: “Can you tell by the pattern of my life where my heart is?”
While today’s smart technology might be a little unsettling at times, we should remember we have an omniscient God who sees and knows everything about us. And whether it will be reviewed on a flat screen TV or a tablet or something else, there will be an accounting.
Solomon gave this advice to young adults, but it surely applies to us all:
[blockquote author="Ecclesiastes 11:9 (NLT)" link="" target="_blank"]Young people, it’s wonderful to be young! Enjoy every minute of it. Do everything you want to do; take it all in. But remember that you must give an account to God for everything you do. [/blockquote]
That’s not Big Brother watching you. It is your loving Heavenly Father who cares for you and wants the best in your life.
“Uh...Siri...just how much do you know about me?”
A work of art...
The artwork of the masters is amazing. Whether it is seeing great sculptures like Michelangelo’s David, or paintings by, Monet, or Degas, or Rembrandt, I am amazed at what they can do to make the art come alive.
I have some artist friends, and their work amazes me, too. Canvas, brushes, paints of acrylic, oil, or watercolor, all come together in the masters’ hands. Sometimes I have watched demonstrations of these works in progress. I think that is where you see the genius behind the paintbrush or palate knife.
One of those artists is Michael Holter. Though I don’t know Michael well, we have mutual friends. And,of course, Facebook connects us from time to time. Michael has done some time-lapse video of his amazing work on a project. I am fascinated watching it. Michael primarily uses water colors to render his masterpieces. As I have watched, several thoughts go through my mind.
At times I wonder what Michael is doing. He applies colors that seem out of place. Sometimes he puts another color on top of one he painted before, just leaving little places the original color he applied. I watch amazed as layers of colors are added in various spots on the paper, and I think, “That doesn’t belong there. It’s too bright. Too dark. Too...whatever.”
Then, amazingly, features take on a striking reality. That blob of color becomes the eyes. That streak of color shapes the nose. That color on color becomes a scarf. Many times I want say, “There, that’s good enough. It looks nice.” But the artist continues to add a touch here and a stroke of color there. And it gets more and more lifelike, with more character, more emotion, more personality.
I think that happens to us in our lives. God is painting a picture, color by color, stroke by stroke. Some of it doesn’t seem to make sense. Some of it seems out of place. Some of it washes out what was there before, and we can’t see the result of the layers of life that are being built up.
But God is up to something. He has an image in mind. And it is the image of His Son, Jesus. He is painting a masterpiece...and you and I are the canvas he is using.
[blockquote author="Ephesians 2:10" link="" target="_blank"] For we are his workmanship (masterpiece), created in Christ Jesus....[/blockquote]
My job and yours is to allow God to work on us until He is finished. Our job is to allow the Creator God to continue his work. And He will be faithful to complete it, if we let him.
And it will be a masterpiece!
By the way, if you would like to see a time-lapse of Michael Holter’s work, click HERE.
Friends are friends forever...
That Michael W. Smith song came to mind the other morning as I was reading Romans 16. You remember the song? The chorus begins:
And friends are friends forever
If the Lord's the Lord of them....
What triggered that thought? I became aware of the many friends the Apostle Paul had developed through his missionary journeys, as he led people to Christ, and as he grew the church in those early days. Just look at the names of those to whom Paul gave greetings and shared loving words.
There is Phoebe from Cenchrea. Priscilla and Aquila that Paul called his co-workers in ministry. Paul mentioned they risked their lives for him. He also mentioned his dear friend Epenetus, the first person from the province of Asia to become a follower of Christ.
And then it was Mary, Andronicus and Junia, who shared prison time with Paul. The Apostle also sent his warm greetings to Ampliatus, Urganus, and Stachys.
Look at these others.
"Greet Apelles, a good man whom Christ approves. And give my greetings to the believers from the household of Aristobulus. Greet Herodion, my fellow Jew. Greet the Lord’s people from the household of Narcissus. Give my greetings to Tryphena and Tryphosa, the Lord’s workers, and to dear Persis, who has worked so hard for the Lord. Greet Rufus, whom the Lord picked out to be his very own; and also his dear mother, who has been a mother to me.
[blockquote author="Romans 16:10-15 NLT" link="" target="_blank"]Give my greetings to Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers and sisters who meet with them. Give my greetings to Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and to Olympas and all the believers who meet with them.[/blockquote]
With a few exceptions, these people named by Paul aren’t prominent in our New Testament accounts. We don’t know much about them. But Paul knew them. And he loved them. And he commended and encouraged them by his greetings and his words.
I especially liked what he said about Appeles. “A good man whom Christ approves.” Wow. Wouldn’t you like that to be said of you by someone like Paul? I sure would.
So what’s the point here? Paul lived the way the Lord Jesus directs all of us to live. To love God...and to love people.
When asked about the greatest commandments in the law of Moses, Jesus had a ready answer.
[blockquote author="Matthew 22:37-39" link="" target="_blank"]Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. ’This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'[/blockquote]
To encourage the saints. To remember them in prayer. To commend them for their good works and their selfless service to our Lord Jesus. That was the Apostle Paul's pattern. It is a good one for each of us to follow.
And, one more thing...Victor, I thank my God every time I think of you. Your faithfulness and your friendship is a blessing and an encouragement.
Patience: A Leadership Trait
I used to think that all leaders were “type A” personalities. Constantly on the go. Busy. Making quick decisions. That may be true in many cases, but it doesn’t paint the complete picture.
Executive consultant and mentor Fred Smith was slowed dramatically in his later years by illnesses. He wrote about what God was teaching him through that time he was slowed as he was forced to be more dependent on others.
“Until I spent several months on my back, unable to move, I didn’t really appreciate patience. Perhaps I could have given you “three points of managing a patient attitude,” but I didn’t experientially understand. Now I know that true patience reduces unhealthy distress without diminishing healthy stress. Patience brings poise to our life, enabling us to discern between the important and the less important. It gives us tolerance for the point of view of others.”
Wow. Wise words. If you are like me, you want patience...right now. But I don’t want to go through the trials that help bring patience into my life.
[blockquote author="James 1:2-4 NLT" link="" target="_blank"]“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”[/blockquote]
May our Lord grant us His patience as we give leadership in our ministries and in our homes.
What about this new year?
New Year. New start.
New direction.
New resolve. New ideas.
New hope.
What will the new year hold for you? There is a temptation to think that the new year holds any more promise than the old one. I’m not talking about hope or forgiveness or a fresh start. I’m talking about your investment in what will happen in this new year. While it may be a “new” year, it is, in reality, a continuation of the life that God has given us, and for which He expects us to be good stewards.
I was looking at an ebook on some of John Maxwell’s inspirational and motivational quotes. At the very start Maxwell lists “Seven Steps to Success.” I’ve added some of my thoughts here on his steps for success.
Make a commitment to grow daily.
To me, that means to read, to listen, to explore, to seek God’s direction through prayer and Bible study. Daily.
Value the process more than events.
What are you learning from those things that happen, both good and bad? Realize that the Christian journey is just that, a journey. Like a family vacation, you may stop along the way and enjoy the view. Or you may stop to change a flat tire. But it is the destination that is your goal.
Don't wait for inspiration.
There is an old saying. “Necessity is the mother of invention.” Often our creativity and inspiration comes out of our own need in the daily activities of life. Be observant, and use these observations to spur you on to accomplish the Lord’s will for you.
Be willing to sacrifice pleasure for opportunity.
It may be like the boy who would have rather been playing outside with his friends instead of practicing the guitar...who became an effective worship leader. The sacrifice for the moment meant joy and opportunity later on.
Dream big.
The quote is attributed to several leaders and thinkers, all the way back to Niccolò Machiavelli in the early 1500’s. “Make no small plans for they have no power to stir the soul.”
Plan your priorities.
This one gets me frequently. The urgent is the enemy of the important. Set your priorities early in the day, each day, and you will more often accomplish the things that are important. Yes, some interruptions are divine encounters. But many are just interruptions. Pray for God to order you day. Then do your part.
Give up to go up.
I find it hard to let go of something that has seemed successful to move on to something that we aren’t sure about. But like they say, “A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.”
May the New Year be filled with the hope and the promise our Savior has for us who follow Him and call him Lord.
Lists, lists, and more lists...
It seems we are obsessed with lists. Ten things you must do to be successful. Seven habits to avoid. Thirteen foods you must never eat. (I hope Brussels sprouts are on that list.) List after list after list.
I’ll admit, I read some of them. But rarely do I take all of them (as we would say in Texas) lock, stock and barrel.
I try to glean a few thoughts and discard the rest.
And I did that recently on a list of 25 Leadership Lessons from Millionaire Business Owners. Some of the ideas were predictable. Prioritize and delegate. Hire people with superior skills. Give employees expectations and training.
But some of the ideas put forth by these billionaire leaders were surprising.
- Be nice.
- Set the tone for others to emulate.
- Plan for fun.
- Communicate effectively.
- Be a lighthouse, not a weathervane. In the midst of our quickly changing world, your employees need someone they can look to for guidance.
- Encourage employees to get more sleep.
- Write thank-you notes.
- Hold yourself accountable.There is nothing magical in these suggestions. It won’t transform your ministry or organization overnight. It will, however, begin a culture of caring and guiding that will translate over time into employee satisfaction, growth, and longevity. And it will make it a joy to show up each day to serve.
Remember...we work as unto the Lord. And that should always be a joy.
[blockquote author="Psalm 100:2" link="" target="_blank"]Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing.[/blockquote]
A Powerful Story
On this Monday before Christmas, I couldn’t think of a more appropriate “memo” to write than the great insight shared about 2,000 years ago. Merry Christmas!
[blockquote author="Luke 2:1-20 (The Message)" link="" target="_blank"]
About that time Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Empire. This was the first census when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Everyone had to travel to his own ancestral hometown to be accounted for. So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Judah, David’s town, for the census. As a descendant of David, he had to go there. He went with Mary, his fiancée, who was pregnant.
While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. She gave birth to a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger, because there was no room in the hostel.
There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God’s angel stood among them and God’s glory blazed around them. They were terrified.
The angel said, ‘Don’t be afraid. I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you’re to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger.’
At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God’s praises:
‘Glory to God in the heavenly heights, Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.’
As the angel choir withdrew into heaven, the sheepherders talked it over. ‘Let’s get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us.’ They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. Seeing was believing. They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child. All who heard the sheepherders were impressed.
Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself.
The sheepherders returned and let loose, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen. It turned out exactly the way they’d been told![/blockquote]
All who heard the shepherds were impressed. It wasn’t the messenger that was important. It was the message.
Go...and tell...that the world may know Jesus.
God’s best at Christmas and through the coming year.
How do you focus?
In this day of mobile phone cameras, most have forgotten how to focus. It happens automatically. My first camera was a 35mm single lens reflex film camera with absolutely nothing automatic about it. I had to set the f.stop (lens opening) to let in the right amount of light. And I had to set the shutter speed I wanted, especially if the scene I wanted to capture was moving. And of course, I had to focus the lens on the object. I never knew if I had gotten it right until the film was developed, sometimes weeks later.
Today, it’s all automatic…focus, light sensitivity, shutter speed. And it’s all quite good…most of the time. But sometimes, my auto mobile phone camera focuses on the wrong thing. I have to take it again, making sure I have told it what to focus on.
Dr. Chuck Swindoll, in his book The Mystery of God’s Will, talks about the focus of our lives and of our ministries.
[blockquote author="Chuck Swindoll" link="" target="_blank"]In this life, we have focus choices. We can focus on ourselves, we can focus on our circumstances, we can focus on other people, or we can focus on God. When you think biblically you focus first on God. Regardless of what you want, regardless of the circumstances you’re under, regardless of what others say or think, regardless of how you feel, God and God alone is working out His great plan. And in the final tally, it will be fabulous! [/blockquote]
So…move up from a mobile phone camera…and to a camera that lets you set the focus. The world would have you focus on what they think is important. God wants you to focus on Him.
[blockquote]Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace. [/blockquote]
Focus on Jesus.
