day 1200: Willingness

Jesus replied, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind."

The adage is, "Where there is a will, there is a way."  That's mostly true, but maybe not always.  I am sure that the Boards of American Airlines and US Air don't feel that way this morning with the news that the Justice Department wants to block their merger.  That probably feels like it is out of their hands at this point, but still if they have the will to do it, then with some compromises and changes, they can probably make it happen.  Having the will is easier said than done.  Sometimes the will means decades of work, or the draining of every cent we have and more, or giving up weekends, or subordinating our egos so that others can succeed.  The will is not an easy thing to have and something that we have to really understand if we are truly willing to to do what it takes, or not.  I told a friend this about a project he is working on, "Somethings are better left not started, than to start it and not finish".  It takes some will to start, it takes all-in will to finish.

A great man of faith died recently.  His name was Dallas Willard.  He was tremendous writer and found ways to explain God's Word that rang true for so many people.  He was quoted as saying, "God will certainly let everyone into heaven that can possibly stand it."  That is a great line to ponder and think about the layers that come with it.  We must be willing to serve God above ourselves and all else. So to stand what heaven can bring for us, is to be willing to be all-in for Christ. Something for us to think and pray hard about today.

Reference: Matthew 22:37 (New Living Translation)

day 508: Who's The Boss?

A common event in the workplace is when a new boss shows up on the scene that a power struggle between the person who believes they should be, or should have been, the boss and the new boss. This game over power can be destructive to the team and to the people involved. I have seen teams of people basically ruin the chance for the new boss to succeed. I have also seen the power struggle start and the new boss declare that he/she is the new sheriff and people on the team get pushed out and replaced. This begs the question on why it is it so hard for us to willingly let someone new take over and for us to give that person our 100% support? It's like it is some kind of ego thing that keeps us from allowing a new person to easily slide into the leadership seat and for us to step forward and give that person the respect, support and following that they have been given, or more than likely, that they earned. Maybe it is not just ego that gets in the way, maybe it is also fear of change and fear of the unknown. We get comfortable to the way things have been and we don't want change or anything that is going to disrupt the way it has always been. Regardless, we should try and find a way to be more supportive so that we are known as a person who can accept and welcome change and know our place in the hierarchy of our organization. To not accept our place is to come across as overly ambitious, coveting, envious and even jealous. A good reminder is what Paul told us about how we are to work; "Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people." If we can work like this, then all the rest falls into the right perspective. If we are working like we are working for the Lord, there is no question about who is the boss and in fact, that would be a silly question. So today, if you are struggling with someone new on the team, a new role, or a new boss, remember that the question is not who's the boss, but rather how willingly are we working for that new boss?

Reference: Colossians 3:23 (New Living Testament)