Being and doing

 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. John 10:9

 

The life of the believer is a prayerful mixture of being and doing. Some days or seasons seem like  relentless service, unsustainable without breaks for just being. Yet, daily our Lord calls us to come into His presence for comfort, peace, strength, counsel, guidance and the like, and go out in His power to engage the world. We first entered the gate of God for salvation, and once saved we enter for sustenance for the power for service. We go in to be with Jesus, and we go out to give Jesus by being the expression of Christ in every endeavor of life. Contemplation on Christ leads us to care for the things of Christ.

Our Lord Jesus is our great shepherd who protects us from the enemy. He leads us beside still waters, He feeds us His green pastures in prayer and He lays down His life for His sheep. Christ provides a circle of safety we can rely on for peace and security. Since our Savior is 100% trustworthy, we need not wonder or worry. Some misfit ministers pseudo shepherd God’s flock. Don’t be led astray by their doctrinal or moral mayhem. Keep your eyes on Christ’s secure staff.

“Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord (Jeremiah 23:1).

How can you best be and do for God?  Be who you are and do what you do best. God shows you your real self when you rest and relax in His presence. For example, His Spirit may say to your heart: I have made you to love. More specifically, He may say: Love leaders, love children or love the poor. Contemplation with Christ  clarifies your purpose for Christ. Being breaks down your biases, purifies your motives, and gives you confidence to be you. God educates you.
 
Doing applies what we learn from the Lord. For instance, the Holy Spirit could enlighten us to support our spouse or friend by being patient, not frustrated with their disorganization or over commitment. We gain influence with individuals when they feel we really know, understand,  and care for them. Being prepares our hearts to be magnanimous with those who misunderstand or mistreat us. When we go in to be with Christ prior to going out into the world, we are able to do for others what He has done for us. Being gets us to God, before we go out to serve with God.

“Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:4-5).

Master the menial

 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.  John 13:5

Jesus was the master of menial tasks. He was not afraid to get His hands dirty, literally. There was nothing and no one beneath Him, for He valued everyone. Jesus put Himself into the shoes of others so that He could relate to their world and serve them well. Success did not shield Him from the ordinary. His heart was all about service; He knew that service around menial tasks unlocked opportunities to influence. Jesus expects us, as a follower of His, to follow His example. “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you” (John 13:15).

No level of authority exempts us from serving others. Pride or dignity may cause us to resist things such as working in a soup kitchen, tutoring an underprivileged illiterate, vacuuming the house, unloading the dishwasher, taking out the garbage, washing clothes, running errands, maintaining the house, making photo copies, or returning phone calls. Yet, when we execute these menial tasks, we reflect Christ.
   
Through our service to others, we truly lead. Otherwise, people are just intimidated into producing results for fear of our hostile reprisals. How much healthier it is for family, friends, and work associates to be motivated by our service than by our threats. It may start out awkwardly; it may take time for people to get used to the sight of you helping out. But when you start managing by walking around your computer instead of hiding behind it, people will be amazed. Encourage by engaging personally with people, not just sending impersonal e-mails and texts. At first, they may resist, wondering what’s come over you. But your willingness to roll up your sleeves will win them over. Start with a handwritten thank you note to your direct reports. Value them as your most important “customer.” Wash their feet by constantly caring for them first.
   
Menial tasks can become mundane over time. They can become boring and predictable, so stay fresh and challenged. Do not be satisfied with the status quo. Challenge the system and execute in a more excellent way. If you take for granted your position or technical skills, you may become sloppy in your service and lazy in your work. Always become better at what you do. Anybody can do anything for a short period of time. But it takes stamina and character to continue mastering the menial over the long run. Take continuing education classes. Improve your speaking and writing skills by engaging a speech or writing coach.

Use technology to enhance and accelerate the menial. Nothing, however, will ever replace your need to give personal attention to important details. The devil is in the details, so give attention to them. This keeps him from taking you hostage. Yes, delegate, but do not make the mistake and abdicate. People appreciate your thinking of the details that affect them. Your accountability to carry out the menial makes others want to do the same, so plan ahead. Serve others where they least expect you to get involved. Then it becomes infectious. So be a contagious carrier who reflects Christ. There is no task too menial for your Master. Join Him where He serves.

Take some rest

 The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest". So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.  Mark 6:30-32

Wise leaders lead others into rest, they find a quiet place and rest together. After extreme busyness, rest is required, as your spirit begins to rebel against the hustle and bustle of life. The joy of service for God starts to fade. People become a drain rather than a blessing. It is time to break away to a solitary place. Jesus took a break after a big event.

If you continually push yourself, you will eventually lose all energy and perspective. A driven heart becomes a judgmental heart. You begin to look down on others because they are not pulling their weight. Your joy is replaced with jaded criticism. You feel you are the only one who is really committed. Your peers have become slackers in your mind.

Furthermore, be careful as you may be serving out of your own strength and not the Spirit’s. It is the Holy Spirit that sustains you over the long haul. Wise leaders understand the danger of an unsustainable schedule. You begin to sacrifice relationships in reach of unrealistic goals. Indeed, God gives us goals as a guide and motivation, but do not be driven by the goal—rather be lead by the Holy Spirit.

Otherwise, the goal can become your god. Unchecked goal setting can lead you down the path of disappointment and disillusionment. You may need to better pace yourself. Be patient. Develop the team around you and watch God work through them, way beyond your capacity. Indeed, some of your team development comes in the quiet places.

Find a quiet spot and calendar a time today for yourself and your team. They desperately need this enrichment, both personally and professionally. Without a retreat, they may not be able to advance. Some may be on the verge of burnout or quitting, because of discouragement. Solitary places allow you and your team to recalibrate with the vision and mission of the organization. Quiet times together build camaraderie and trust.

A retreat is an investment. By taking time to pause you are able to continue—and you continue with more effectiveness and efficiency. A quiet place is an opportunity to get on the same page with God. Your soul is refreshed and replenished. The words of the Bible leap from its pages,  lodging in the crevices of your heart and mind. A retreat is an exercise of trust that routine matters will be taken care of in your absence.

Take a retreat for your sake and sanity—and for the morale of the team. We hear more clearly when it is quiet. Our comprehension expands. Our bodies rest. Our soul is renewed. A solitary place provides strength and stamina to finish well. Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is rest in a quiet place!

“This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.” Isaiah 30:15

Management by Objectives

 Aaron and his sons are to go into the sanctuary and assign to each man his work and what he is to carry.  Numbers 4:19

God believes in delegation and follow through. He expects leaders to manage. This is the right and responsible thing to do. If a job is to be done well, you as the leader, have to be a part of the process. Effective managers make expectations crystal clear. Clarity comes through repetition, hands on explanation, written instructions, and follow-up. It is important for team members to understand from different perspectives, how their role is critical in accomplishing the overall vision. Inspect the results you expect from them.

On-the-job training is also important so team members have the opportunity to watch you or someone else, complete the work with excellence. This gives the trainee an opportunity to ask questions and interact with the trainer. Avoid the temptation to hurry and not be thorough in hands-on training. Ineffective training costs you in the long run. It costs you time, money, frustration, and personnel turnover. So how can you, as a manager, grow and improve your management skills? How can you be a good example for the team?

First of all, make sure you are managed well. Invite your supervisor or board of directors to hold you accountable. You have a much better chance to manage well if you are managed well. Then have regular performance reviews. We perform better when others are watching. The review needs to be relational, specific, and results focused. Next, walk around among your team. Seek to understand each person’s role and what is expected, taking the time to follow up with tasks you have delegated. Follow through with your commitments, and you will maintain your moral authority to manage. Effective leaders manage in person, not in isolation. A recluse is a poor manager.

Lastly, challenge the management process. Do the systems of your enterprise facilitate or stifle management? In other words, do you get the proper data needed to evaluate a person or situation, or are you guessing and making assumptions not based on facts? Excellent managers produce processes that move toward the best results.

“Paul instructed Timothy in this way, ‘Timothy, my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus. You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others’” (2 Timothy 2:1–2) 

Unsolicited blessings

After saying this, he [Jesus] spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. John 9:6-7

Sometimes (really everyday) God blesses us out of the blue. We don’t see it coming, but when we encounter His goodness, we are overwhelmed with gratitude. Such was the experience of the blind man, who minding his own business, became the recipient of Christ’s mercy. This feeble man of sorrows was touched by the Man of Sorrows. Our Lord does not look at a misfortunate man with contempt, but with compassion and empathy. Jesus came to save not judge, though His coming is judgment for those who stay stuck in their unbelief. God’s unsolicited blessings manifest from His mercy.

Moreover, there will always be contemporary critics who can’t handle Christ’s miraculous intervention, love, grace, mercy, and ability to forgive what to the world is deemed unforgivable. Strangely, instead of celebrating the wholeness of this man’s body, the spiritually blind leaders shifted the discussion to a theological debate. Because they were not the instigators of this healing or the recipient of God’s grace, they were opposed to Christ’s act of mercy. We can expect the unenlightened and ignorant to explain away our experience of the Lord’s favor. Jealous distractors will try to demean Jesus by dismissing His divinity, but His blessings still remain.

“Her (Elizabeth’s) neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy” (Luke 1:58).

Furthermore, when Christ calls us to obey, we obey. Though it may not seem as strange as allowing Him to smear the saliva stained mud of His mercy on our eyes with us washing it away, we will still trust and obey. Faith without obedience is without effect, but faith with obedience sees the Spirit’s effect. Thus, we don’t sit around and pridefully debate the origin of a man or woman’s misfortune, instead we get our hands dirty in the mud of God’s mercy and we lovingly serve.

How do you regularly rejoice in God’s unsolicited blessings? Perhaps over a meal with your family, each one shares how they’ve been surprised by joy. Or, as you engage people in every day life, make note of the Lord’s favor in their lives. Pass on these nuggets of encouragement to friends and loved ones. Jesus miraculously intervenes all around you, so be aware and share. Be a steward of God’s stories of faithfulness. His unsolicited blessings deserve your recognition and rejoicing!

“Surely you have granted him unending blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence” (Psalm 21:6).

Patiently wait

 I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. Psalm 40:1

Patient people wait on God’s best. God things happen to those who are patient, those who wait. Patience is a virtue, but it is also a vehicle in which the Lord delivers His blessings. Like a loyal wife waiting for the gift of her husband’s return from war, so those who love Jesus wait on Him to return soon. Patience waits on God to rain down His favor.

“Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain” (James 5:7).

However, as we wait we pray and we prepare. We pray for patience, knowing that Jesus Christ is completely trustworthy. We pray for boldness to declare God’s truth to those who have yet to fall in love with Jesus. Waiting is also the Lord’s time to prepare our character. Our character has to keep up with our success for us to remain successful.

“Tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character” (Romans 5:3b-4a).

Yes, it is hard to be patient when you really want something. But, why do you want what you want? Is your motive aligned with what the Lord wants for you? Our Heavenly Father knows what we need and when we are able to handle His blessing. Pride demands to have things now, but humility sees the worth in wisely waiting.

Our tension may be the normal desire for a husband or for a wife. Or, maybe we feel trapped financially or our job is a dead end road. We seem to be doing the right things, but we are not happy with our progress. Thus, while we wait focus on intimacy with Jesus, let Him do a work of greater grace in our heart. Enjoy what you already have and you will appreciate what you get. Like Job, wait on God to give back more than before.

“As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy” (James 5:11).

Patience is the fruit of the Spirit, it resides with God, available for His children. So, seek the fullness of the Holy Spirit each day. Wait for and anticipate good gifts from our heavenly Father. Christ manages the clock of life, so rest and regroup during His timeouts. In this parenthesis of time you can enjoy living for the Lord and others. Patience waits.

“And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised” (Hebrews 6:15).