Thursday, March 31, 2011
It's the Simple Things that matter....
“He was told to do something simple and to see what God would do.” - The Story of Naaman in 2 Kings. Potential leaders and seminary students (aka...US) want to do such big things for God, but yet we forget about the simple things that God calls us to do each day. Often we students and leaders get so focused on our ministry and our school work that we push aside our one on one personal time with God. Drew Sams explains, “Leaders needs something fresh from God every day.” The greatest commandment from Jesus is to love God with all of our hearts, strength, souls, and minds – Luke 10:27. We need to make that personal time with God daily where we seek Him with all of our hearts to be filled by his love and Holy Spirit. We also need to remember the simple things that God places in front of us daily that we so often overlook. What people are right in front of us that need God’s love but we are to busy focusing on school work or preparing for a sermon? How often do we skip out on family time because we are too preoccupied other things in ministry? How often do we not even give people the true time that they deserve because we are too busy thinking the things that we need to get done. It’s the simple things of loving God and loving His people that truly matters in leadership and in life.
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Ryan, it would seem that leaders would need to utilize discipline in their daily lives in order to lead a successful Christian life. Proverbs 13:18 says, "Cling to discipline, don't relax your grip on it because it is your life. Poverty and shame come to a person who ignores discipline, but whoever heeds correction is honored."
ReplyDeleteThe Bible says if a person is going to implement and strive for discipline the individual needs to do four things: delay gratification, utilize advanced decision-making, deciding the nonnegotiables, and orchestrate many mini celebrations into one's life.
Delayed gratification is doing the difficult things first like walking three miles, exercising, or reading and reflecting on Scripture before watching TV or some other activity.
Advanced decision-making thinks through situations ahead of time. One recommends listing the benefits of having integrity or creating time for the family's relationship to God and the church. The person would have a clean conscience before God and before his or her family.
Nonnegotiables are the core values such as assembling for worship at least once a week or reading Scripture.
Jesus desires to give life and give it to people more abundantly. Proverbs 17:22 says, "A joyful heart is good medicine, but sadness just drains one's strength." Jesus was structured with mini celebrations in his life.