The Path Leads Somewhere
A friend in a former church that I served used to say of parenting, "Pick your path and live with where it leads." No parent looks at their newborn and dreams of an emotionally broken, codependent, needy and/or abusive future for their child. No parent in their right mind would do that. Every parent wants the best for their children.
And yet, plenty of children grow up and become emotionally broken, codependent, needy and/or abusive. The difference is the path, not the intent! Often times we make decisions with intended consequences... the outcomes we are trying to accomplish. There are also unintended consequences. Unintended consequences can sometimes be positive, but they may also be negative.
Lately I've been trying to ask myself, "What are the potential unintended consequences to this decision?" More often than not it is impossible to see into the future and predict all the consequences of a decision. However, intentionally asking the question helps me look past the decision as a strategic step to address an issue. I have a better chance of keeping the ultimate goal in mind.
Parenting isn't the only arena in life where the path we choose leads to different destinations with multiple unintended consequences. Some other paths to choose carefully include:
- marriage
- employment
- spiritual growth
- education
- personal finances
The list can go on. Pick you path carefully, it does lead somewhere. There are consequences, intended and unintended to every decision we make.
Ten Stupid Things : Review
Book: Ten Stupid Things that Keep Churches from Growing by Geoff Surratt
Geoff writes an extremely practical book looking at many of the common (yet maybe not identified) barriers that prevent churches from growing. Some on the list are internal issues (Trying to do it all, Establishing the wrong role for the Pastor's family) and even an external issue (Clinging to a bad location). The majority are leadership issues.
Slaves to what?
The great theologian, Bob Dylan, recorded the song, "Gotta Serve Somebody" in 1979 on his album, "Slow Train Coming." The lyrics of the chorus were an attempt by Dylan to inject religion into his song:
You’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You’re gonna have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody
This concept is biblical, you will serve someone.
Paul writes in Romans 6:18 that those of us who are Christ-followers are slaves to righteousness and no longer slaves to sin.
Obviously the differences between slavery to sin and slavery to righteousness are evident by our actions. Before we carry out those actions, our heart takes a stand. Our hearts reveal whether we are slaves to righteousness or slaves to sin LONG before we carry out any action.
People who are slaves to sin usually ask the question: how far can I go before it is sinful?
People who are slaves to righteousness ask the question: how close can I get to God?
Being a slave to sin pulls you away from God just as being a slave to righteousness pulls you away from sin.
It all has to do with what your object of attention is. What we fixate on, will have the greatest influence in our life.
Guilty of Pew Stealing
One of my favorite memories as a teen is not centered around a overly positive experience. It wasn't really a bad experience, but more one that taught me something about human nature.
I was sixteen years old. My family had just moved from Montreal, PQ to a small city just outside Vancouver, BC. We had arrived in town just before the weekend and really hadn't got our boxes unpacked that Sunday morning when we got up and headed to church. Dad was the new pastor of a church. The biggest question of the morning: where were my mother, my sister and I supposed to sit. Mom was never the kind of Pastor's Wife that had any desire for a high profile in the church so we chose to sit in a back corner, about three rows from the back and against the outside aisle. Of course, we were in our seats a few minutes before the service began.
Just as the service began, a married couple came walking in and uttered words I'll never forget: "Excuse me, those are our seats." And then they stood there waiting for us to move. Stunned beyond words, we got the not-so-subtle-hint and moved back a row... because it was empty! As a sixteen year old who was still developing his spiritual gift of sarcasm...
But wait, that's not all!
Five minutes later, well after the service had begun, a family comes walking in... "Oh (with feigned surprise), we normally sit there. We'll find another seat - this week." The point was made! They easily found another seat a couple rows up.
You have no idea of the amount of joy that flooded my soul later in the service. The Vice Chairman of the Church Board introduced my father to the church family, and then asked if we would stand up. Before I heard welcoming applause, I heard a gasp from a few people in the rows in front of us. At the conclusion of the service, most of those seated around us gave us a hearty welcome.
That day, I learned that Pew Stealing is a terrible abomination. Some people are kind, polite, and sweet-spirited - until you try to sit in their pew. I do not recall ever sitting in that area of that church after that day.
The Church is about change... helping people change so they can become more like Christ. Just don't ask some of them to change the pew they sit in.
Do Not be Afraid!
To more than twenty leaders, God said: “Do not be afraid.”
Leadership can be scary for a number of reasons. Leadership, by definition, involves change. Maintaining the status quo doesn’t require leadership, that’s babysitting. Letting people do what they want doesn’t require leadership, that’s ambivalence. Leadership requires that we are stepping into new places AND others are coming along with us. As John Maxwell has stated, ‘a leader who has no followers, is simply someone who is out for a walk.’
Some of the things that can be scary about leadership include:
Fear of the Unknown: Many times we have to lead headlong into the unknown. (Gen, 46)
Fear of Inability: Most times God calls us to accomplish more than we can in our own strength. Counting the cost and forgetting God’s involvement as we move forward can paralyze us with fear. (Deut. 1)
Fear of Failure: There are times when leading requires huge risk of failure. (Deut. 7)
Fear of Confrontation: There are some who just don’t like confrontation (some like it too much), there are times, however, it must take place. (2 Kings 1)
Fear of Rejection: Many times leading others puts us in the place of making unpopular decisions. (Ezek. 2)
Fear of Embarrassment: Often times our personal reputation is put on the line. (Matt. 1)
Fear of Pain or Suffering: The pain of change is one of the most common reasons that leaders stall. (Rev. 2:10)
I think it is great when I hear a leader state with unequalled confidence, it can be inspiring. The Bible also contains many references to leaders telling those who are following them, ‘do not be afraid.’
I also have a second and simultaneous thought: “Really?” I mean, if the heroes of the faith had to be told, “Do not be afraid,” is it possible for anyone to lack a level of fear?
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