WISE, INTENTIONAL

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

TITUS EMAIL

Volume 2, Number 11 – November, 2008

 In just a few days, Marty and I will be heading to Nepal for three weeks of Leadership Training at in a couple opportunities. During the week of Nov. 10^th, we will be teaching at Ebenezar Bible College. The week of Nov. 17^th, there are a couple of possibilities to be decided yet. Then from Nov 23-26, WILD will host a conference for about 35 emerging leaders. Please pray with us during this time. Remember that WILD new email address is  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . As a reminder, past issues of the TITUS email are at www.myhcy.com. Mike

POWER MEANS SERVING

Why is it, as has been said, that when people have power, it corrupts instead of promoting positive thoughts and actions?  Why is power so difficult to harass or keep it check?  Power can easily corrupt one's character.  It can sway your thinking; you begin to talk and make decisions that you would not have made without that power.  Power can place you in circles of people that are not good for you.  These people want things from you now that you have power - favors or expectations that were not even on the radar screen before you stepped into power. 

When in charge, what are the most important characteristics you should strive for? 

James Kouzes and Barry Posner, in studying about leadership traits of top Chief Executive Officers, found only one characteristic common to all.  That was affection.  Top CEOs cared for their people and wanted their people to like them in return.  Does that mean that to continue over time, in order to be a top leader, you need to work hard at keeping power under control and constantly put others first?

How is it that when Jesus was on earth and had all the power available to him, it did not corrupt Him?  He was God but also He was totally human.  We are highly advised to have the attitude of Jesus.  Though He had all power in the universe available to Him, for He could have easily wiped out Judas and the soldiers who came to arrest Him in the Garden of Gethsemane or taken Himself off the cross as He was being crucified, He did not use.  Rather the attitude of Jesus was He humbled Himself, making Himself the equivalent of a slave and became the example for all leaders.  He remained obedient to be crucified (Philippians 2:3-8) and became an example for us to follow in serving, putting the needs of others ahead of His own.

He acted like a slave in John 13 for on the night of the Last Supper, there were no slaves available to wash the feet of those who gathered for that meal, as was the custom of that day.  A servant who was often a slave would wash the feet of guests arriving at that particular house for they wore sandals and the roads and walkways were very dusty.  No apostle who joined Jesus for the meal offered to follow through on that custom, so Jesus, the most powerful person in the universe, served them by washing their feet.  He did not care about His reputation.  Titles were not important to Him.  Rather, towels were, so He wrapped one around His waist and humbly bowed down to make others more important than Him.

If nothing else, that simple act of service should exhort us who strive to be spiritual leaders, to do nothing less than to serve others in whatever ways we can, always looking for opportunities to serve, to encourage and build others up.  Why is affection the only common characteristic among top CEOs?  People need to know they count as a human being, that they are valued.  By serving someone, you humble yourself and make someone else more important than you.   

That is not a natural act.  As humans we are concerned with Number One, who is ME.  In fact, much of viewpoints and philosophies that permeate our world encourage taking care of ourselves first.  If we do not take care of ourselves, who will? 

Having power can be a very positive and beneficial experience for others.  It depends on how you use it and your attitude about yourself.  Who is more important?  You or Me?

Youth Ministry Insight

CAN YOU BE A “RUTH” WITH GOD?

Are you honestly able to trust God for your future? When things are going pretty good, you are more likely to answer yes to the trust question versus when things are not going so well. In a little book in the Old Testament, we learn about a young woman who actually did trust God totally for her future even though the prospects for her future were very bleak.

Ruth, a non-Israelite, married a man who after about ten years of marriage died and left Ruth childless. Now the mother-in-law, Naomi did not have any other sons available for Ruth to marry (as was the tradition), so Naomi insisted Ruth return to her home of Moab so that she could find a husband. It was extremely important in that day for women to marry and have children. This explains the insistence of Naomi to send Ruth home.

Ruth was firm that she would stay with Naomi and let Naomi know that Naomi’s God, the God of the Bible was her God also (Ruth 1:16-18). Without the prospect of a good future and also bearing disgrace upon her because she would not have children, Ruth trusted God with her dismal future, being a faithful friend to her mother-in-law.

Naomi did not give up on the prospect of a husband for Ruth. Unbeknown to Ruth when she made the decision to stay with Naomi, Naomi had Ruth meet up with a relative of the family, Boaz. Through receiving food from Boaz, Ruth was able to introduce herself to Boaz and he found out about what she had done for Naomi. Through the promptings of Naomi, Ruth let Boaz know that she was willing to be married to him and the romance flourished

Boaz did marry Ruth and in only the way God can orchestrate situations, Ruth, a non-Jew, became part of the lineage of Jesus’ blood line as Ruth was the great grandmother of King David.

As a young person, Ruth chose to follow the standards and principles God had set up to bless His people. Even when her future had no chance, she still chose to follow the leading of God in her life. Following God often does not turn out plush and perfect earthly wise, but by following God, we are invited to His blessings and what He knows best for us. Would you rather follow yourself who knows basically nothing of the future or God who knows all things, thus He knows the future?

We can easily think that God owes us a “good” life. He has given us His best by giving Jesus to die on the cross for us. We simply need to realize we are sinners and receive the free gift of salvation by asking or taking the gift of Jesus to forgive us. God owes us nothing.

Can you let God have control of your life? Ruth had no idea what the future held for her but she had the spiritual courage to trust God. How much courage do you or I have?

ILLUSTRATION

WHAT LIFE?

He saw people love each other, and he saw that love made strenuous demands on the lovers. He saw that love required sacrifice and self-denial. He saw that love produced arguments, jealousy and sorrow. He decided that love cost too much. He decided not to diminish his life with love.

He saw people strive for distant and hazy goals. He saw men strive for success and women strive for high ideals. He saw that the striving was often mixed with disappointment. He saw strong and committed men fail, and he saw weak, undeserving men succeed. He saw that striving sometimes forced people into pettiness and greed. He decided that it cost too much. He decided not to soil his life with striving.

He saw people serving others. He saw men give money to the poor and helpless. He saw that the more they served, the faster the need grew. He saw ungrateful receivers turn on their serving friends. He decided not to soil his life with serving.

When he died, he walked up to God and presented his life to Him- undiminished, unmarred, unsoiled. The man was clean and untouched by the filth of the world, and he presented himself to God proudly saying, “Here is my life!” And God said, “Life? What life?”

QUOTES - POWER

“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” – Abraham Lincoln, 16^th President of the United States

“Leadership is the use of power. But power to be ethical, must never be abused. To ensure that, one rule cannot be broken: Power is to be used only for the benefit of others, never for yourself. That is the essential generosity and self-sacrifice of the leader.” Peter Koestenbaum

“Power intoxicates men. When a man is intoxicated by alcohol he can recover, but when intoxicated by power he seldom recovers.” James F. Byrnes