day 876: Sit With It

"Teach me, and I will keep quiet. Show me what I have done wrong."

In business we are not good at letting ideas, actions, things just sit. One of the harder things to do is to shelve an idea, knowing that someone else will likely pick it up and run with it and then we will kick ourselves for not having followed through. Am I alone in this feeling? But, great companies and great leaders know how to say no and they know how to let the right things sit and how to have others get picked up and moved forward. There are a number of businesses that have failed because they wanted to be all things for all people and they moved forward when they should have let things just sit. We should each evaluate how and what needs to be put on the sideline and let sit for awhile until the time is right, if ever. We'd find that our focus, momentum and progress just might improve.

I read this in Christianity Today last month. It was written by Mark Galli and stuck with me. "At one point in the movie Patton, General Omar Bradley tells General George Patton that Patton may be given a crucial assignment: leading troops in the invasion of Europe. Though he had played a decisive role in the battle for Africa and in the invasion of Sicily, Patton at the time was cooling his heels in England, having been disciplined for slapping a soldier in a field hospital. So Patton is anxious to get back into the thick of battle, and when he hears about the possible assignment, he can hardly contain himself. Bradley tells him no decision has been made, that it's in the hands of General George Marshall. Patton is a man of action, who took initiative while others stood around deliberating their options. But when he heard that his fate lay in the hands of Marshall, he calmed down. "He's a good man," he said of Marshall. "At least he's a fair man. I'll let it with him." He said this based on his knowledge of who Marshall in fact was and how he comported himself in action. The god we know, the God we've seen in action has done this: He died for us. It is because of this that we way with confidence, "He's a good God. He's a fair God. All these questions that torment us - we can let those sit with this God."

Reference: Job 6:24

day 821: Arguing For Truth

"For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth."

I've been doing some work with a very successful company who's corporate culture is based on finding, knowing, speaking and operating to the truth. I've introduced a number of people to the company and after meeting and learning about the culture they can't help but compare their own corporate culture to what they have just seen. Usually it is not a favorable comparison. Many cultures do the opposite of looking for the truth. Instead, they don't want to have tough conversations, or ask hard questions, or call someone on their opinion because they don't want to hurt their feelings, or the discussions can never get beyond judgement or evaluation. But, defining truth and then working towards that definition can yield amazing findings and results.

John Stott, who recently died, was the rector of All Souls Church in London from 1921 until last year. He was a prolific writer and had much to say about truth and what we can do to argue for the truth of Jesus by being practical and smart in our persuasion. In Christianity Today he wrote; "I'll give you one quick example. You cannot force people to go to church by legislation. You can't force them to rest on Sundays. Nor can we simply quote from the Bible as if that settles the matter. But we can put forward our best arguments. We can argue that psychologically and physically, human beings need one day's rest in seven, and that is it socially good for families who are separated during the week to have a day together on Sunday. We can argue for legislation that protects workers from being compelled to work and encourages family life. In this example, we're neither imposing our Christian views, nor quoting the Bible dogmatically. We are simply using every argument - physical, psychological, sociological -in order to commend the wisdom and truth of biblical teaching. Why? Because we believe in the power of truth."

Reverend Stott's good words fit for our Purposed worKING. Let's not miss the opportunity to argue for the truth.

Reference: 2 Corinthians 13:8

day 176: Under Armor

I was recently in a meeting where the people in the room were discussing the role that those who create entertainment have in impacting our society and cultural values and norms. It would come as no surprise to anyone that the impact of our entertainment is significant on all us, especially our children. Behind that entertainment are working men and women. We sometimes forget that while they have become celebrities in our culture, they are still people working, doing the best they can in the jobs they have. Among those people are also believers who day in and day out struggle with the output of their work and their own values and principles. As Tim Keller, the Pastor of Redeemer Church in New York City said recently in Christianity Today; "Someone who works in advertising or theater may have to serve for many years at projects hoe for she finds morally ambivalent. Even those who rise to positions of responsibility will find no clearly marked path." And so it is true for all of us who are believers and work outside of the ministry. We daily travel a path through our work lives where the lining is filled with those who would hate for us to succeed at our larger purpose. Yet, we do the best we can to be in this world, but still not be of it. We are careful about how we express our faith around us so that we don't alienate or push people away from us. We work with our highest set of values and principles and we discipline ourselves to be true the teachings and examples of Jesus. I describe this as wearing the under armor of God. God gives us His armor in the Bible for us to wear so that we are protected and carry with us the defenses of His power, grace and spirit. We are called to don His armor in Ephesians 6:13; "Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm." There are many who wear the armor of God under their work clothes and daily they are making an impact on others and for the better. As you "suit up" today for work, think about this and be sure that you have put on your under armor and that you are prepared today for the big and small battles before you. And as you pray today, add in those who work in those industries and positions of responsibility and influence that they too will put on their armor each and every day and fight the good fight so that they may have positive influence over the messages that so influence our culture. Be strong and know that your quest to bring purpose to your work is a righteous calling.

Reference: Ephesians 6:13 (New Living Testament)