day 1155: New Paint Job

"This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun"

Yesterday, Patti and I flew from SFO to JFK on American Airlines.  The airline is right now in transition to what they are calling the "New American" (#newamerican).  As we sat on the runway at SFO we could see the transition happening right in front of us with many of the new planes with the new paint schemes.  I thought about what it feels like to get a "new paint job" as a company.  It's exciting, but at the same time a time of anxiety.  There are new costs, higher expectations and a far amount of circumspection from the cynics. Will they make it?  Have they overspent? When will we see the real outputs?  It's all part of the dance, but once committed to change, then sticking with it and having the courage to not turn back is a large part of success.  All it would take now to derail the change would be someone in the Boardroom of American to say something like, "I don't know if I really like the way that new tail paint design looks after all."  While it's easy to say, "We can always paint over what we don't like", with organizational change and new beginnings, the changes are way more critical than just the new paint job!

When we make the true decision to believe and  follow Jesus, we become a new person in Christ. This new beginning is one that we can live out the rest of our earthly lives and into eternity.  There isn't any second guessing.  If we truly set our heart towards Christ then we will move forward in a new direction.  From that point, it is incumbent upon us to also spread the news of what God can do for anyone and what He has done for us.  We have many outlets to live out and be the example of Christ in our lives and none better than where we work.  If we consider that each and every day is like the new paint job that we can spread around the office, then others will see and recognize the freshness, the newness and the feeling of hope and opportunity.  What color will you paint the office today?  Think about it!

Reference: 2 Corinthians 5:17 (New Living Translation)

day 737: Words Are Cheap...Performance Counts

"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new being, by changing the way you think."

"Words Are Cheap...Performance Counts". This is one of the those signs that hang in the office of executives to remind anyone who graces that space that there is a philosophy to be followed. The signs work as they can create common language and thoughts. What I like about this one is that it says so much about what a business is supposed to be and also what not to be. Businesses that talk a good game about their products and services but never deliver, don't really matter and won't be around long. It is true performance that counts and the words become strong at that point. It's always easier for a marketer or PR person to put the words on top of the cake versus trying to have the words be the filling and hoping that the rest happens. In our businesses, both internally and externally we should worry less about what we say we are going to be and do and more about are we doing it?

The same is true in our lives and how we work. Others are looking at us to today to see if our words and actions match. There are co-workers who know that how we spend our weekends include time in our church and fellowship with other believers. They expect that we don't waste that time but instead learn and become better with who we are and ultimately, better with others. If we roll back into the office today and our actions (our performance) doesn't count up to who we say we are or who we want to be, then our words are cheap and worthless. We each know what are own issues to overcome to make our words not be cheap. Today is a day that we can make our performance count. God promises that we can be new in who we are and then challenges us to take our newness and not copy the rest of the world. Let today be an original day and let today be a day where our performance counts in His eyes and the eyes of others.

Reference: Romans 12:2 (New Living Testament)

day 317: Each Day Is a New Beginning

This first week into the New Year the list in front of us looks fresh and manageable, although challenging. The gyms are full too as those pledged pounds are coming off. But just like the gym that will empty out in the next couple of weeks, in a couple of months we may have a hard time finding that list of objectives and goals we set for the year. That is why as we plan our work it is so much better to lay out a long look vision and then back into it with chunked up goals and objectives, small bites that are achievable and look like they are doable when we see them on the list. Taking things day by day and step by step can keep us going. I read a great quote from an ultra-marathon runner who says that when he is out there on the road for 100 miles or more in front of him that he has to remind himself that the finish line doesn't move...it is only him that has to keep moving forward one step at a time. Our work objectives can be the same. We don't have to let them be overwhelming if we realize that one step at a time, one day at a time, one task at a time will get us there. The same is true of how we are working to work and live our purpose. Paul gives us this promise in Philippians 1:6; "And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns." As we start this new year, this new decade, this new time for each of us, let us not get discouraged or side-tracked in our purpose. Let us take each day, one step at a time with each day, like today, being a new beginning.

Reference: Philippians 1:6 (New Living Testament)