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Facing Nostalgia as a Leader

As a leader, how have you responded to nostalgia? In what situations, meetings, or decisions has nostalgia been helpful? On the other hand, how has nostalgia gotten in the way of moving forward with the mission of the church?  

When I was in college, the number one song on the charts was “Memories” sung by Barbara Streisand. Part of the lyrics went like this:

Memories, light the corners of my mind
Misty watercolor memories of the way we were
Scattered pictures of the smiles we left behind
Smiles we gave to one another for the way we were

Memories may be beautiful and yet
What’s too painful to remember
We simply choose to forget

Even today, when I hear the song, I am taken back to a particular time and place with particular individuals. Just as the song says, memories light the corners of my mind.

Memories are Powerful

Memories are powerful. Gil Rendel in his book, Quietly Courageous, writes: “Most memories are fond, but not all memories are pleasant. They can include some unhappy time or a time of loss. But for most of us, memories are enjoyable, instructive, comfortable, and important. At times memories are strong enough to make us wonder what it would be like to go back to that time in reality.”

Rendel says that nostalgia is like that. Nostalgia takes us from what bothers us now to what we remember to be a better time. It takes us from what is missing now to what was present in the past.

Nostalgia’s Impact on Leadership

In other words, nostalgia is a warmly remembered past. From Latin, the word “nostalgia” means a return home from pain and suffering. Brené Brown in her book, Atlas of the Heart, points out that “nostalgia was initially a medical term coined in the 17th century for a severe form of homesickness.” She points out that soldiers, displaced from their homes and thrust into the horrors of war, would often succumb to this ailment. Symptoms ranged from anxiety and insomnia to irregular heartbeat and anorexia. In extreme cases, it could even be fatal.

Nostalgia was understood as a natural coping mechanism. Rendel reminds us that it has a number of benefits, such as “an improved mood, increased social connectedness, and positive self-regard.” At its heart, when facing an unpleasant or stressful present, nostalgia has always connected to the warmly remembered past that once was and is remembered as better than what it is now. It is a longing to go home.

So, how do you, as a leader, respond to nostalgia when it tends to stand in the way of leading people to live and love in the present? Read the story of restoring worship in Israel after the Temple had been destroyed and take note of the responses and reactions of the leaders as the foundation of the new Temple was put into place.

Read Ezra 3:1-13

3 When the seventh month came and the Israelites were in their[a] towns, the people gathered together as one in Jerusalem. 2 Then Jeshua son of Jozadak with his fellow priests and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel with his kin set out to build the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as prescribed in the law of Moses the man of God. 3 They set up the altar on its foundation because they were in dread of the people of the lands, and they offered burnt offerings upon it to the Lord, morning and evening. 4 And they kept the Festival of Booths,] as prescribed, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number according to the ordinance, as required for each day, 5 and after that the regular burnt offerings, the offerings at the new moon and at all the sacred festivals of the Lord, and the offerings of everyone who made a freewill offering to the Lord. 6 From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord. But the foundation of the temple of the Lord was not yet laid. 7 So they gave money to the masons and the carpenters, and food, drink, and oil to the Sidonians and the Tyrians to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, according to the grant that they had from King Cyrus of Persia.

In the second year after their arrival at the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak made a beginning, together with the rest of their people, the priests and the Levites and all who had come to Jerusalem from the captivity. They appointed the Levites from twenty years old and up to have the oversight of the work on the house of the Lord. 9 And Jeshua with his sons and his kin, and Kadmiel and his sons, Binnui and Hodaviah,[c] along with the sons of Henadad, the Levites, their sons and kin, together took charge of the workers in the house of God.

When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments were stationed to praise the Lord with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, according to the directions of King David of Israel; 11 and they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel.” And all the people responded with a great shout when they praised the Lord because the foundation of the house of the Lord had been laid. 12 But many of the priests and Levites and heads of families, old people who had seen the first house on its foundations, wept with a loud voice when they saw this house, though many shouted aloud for joy, 13 so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shout from the sound of the people’s weeping, for the people shouted so loudly that the sound was heard far away.

Reflect on Ezra 3

This is a familiar story of the building of the new temple in Jerusalem following the time when the Temple had been destroyed and the Hebrew people had been driven out of their homeland. King Cyrus of Persia issued a proclamation that allowed the Israelites to return to Jerusalem and to rebuild the temple. A little more than a year after their return the Israelites had completed the construction of the foundation of the new temple. It was enough to allow for the religious practices of the people to begin.

It was at that point that a great celebration was planned, with priests dressed in all their robes, with trumpets and cymbals being played, and the people, both young and old, gathered. “And all the people responded with a great shout when they praised the Lord because the foundation of the house of the Lord had been laid. But many of the priests and Levites and heads of families, old people who had seen the first house on its foundations, wept with a loud voice when they saw this house, though many shouted aloud for joy…”

In other words, the people who gathered saw two different stories. Some saw the new temple and a promise of a new future, and they made loud sounds of joy. Others saw only a different temple, not the remembered temple of old, and saw a past that slopped away unfulfilled, and they made loud sounds of weeping.

The scripture says, “so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shout from the sound of the people’s weeping, for the people shouted so loudly that the sound was heard far away.”

Ezra 3 and church leadership lessons

Although this story is told as part of Hebrew history, it is descriptive of many of our churches. I know I am making it simpler than it is, but it seems there is a revolutionary story and a reactionary story. You, as a courageous Christ-centered leader, are standing in the middle of the two stories.

The revolutionary sees the future and its promise. The reactionary sees the past and resists the idealized lies of the future. As a leader, you are surrounded with people who are either ready to step into an uncertain future or stay in the once secure past.

As a follower of Jesus, given the responsibility to lead, you must learn how to stand with confidence in the midst of the anxiety of the present moment (current reality) and navigate between the already insufficient past and the clearly uncertain future. You must understand that the unknown future, along with the anxiety of the present, makes the nostalgic past a great temptation. You must also understand that when people feel insecure, they naturally seek out a confident voice. It is easy to be confident about what has already happened and to not rock the boat and to keep the peace.

Balancing Past and Future in Church Leadership

You must learn in whom you place your confidence, not just for yourself but for the sake of the mission which works for the transformation of the community and the world.

It is also a temptation to dismiss current reality and focus upon an aspirational reality. So, you work harder at what you already know in order to recapture a time and strength that no longer exists. Oh, the hard work carries the rewards of feeling certain and secure in your efforts and satisfaction of getting tired from work that is familiar. But nostalgia does not ask you how to be different for the future. That is much harder work.

Nostalgia’s attractiveness is that you avoid difficult questions. Too often, for the sake of keeping peace, you avoid anything that will create anxiety and chaos. To be an effective leader, you must know the difference between planning and learning.

Church Planning v Church Learning

There is less anxiety, and it is more comfortable to gather people together for planning. Planning infers understanding. If we know where we are and know where we want to go, planning means we only need to put steps in place to get there from here.

What would happen if you called people together for learning? Learning might not lead to immediate action, but it does provide the opportunity to ask questions that might not necessarily be easy to answer. For example, how do people who are not related to the church, form a community and search for meaning if they are not going to be a part of the church as an institution? Or what does worship look like for people who are not going to come into our church buildings? I am sure those questions lead to more difficult questions.

In planning, you prepare for people who are already present with the hope you might attract a few people who are not present. In learning, you discover ways to relate to people where they are and step out to respond to them. Learning might lead you to being incarnational and to doing church in a different way. Oh, just know that will create more anxiety and chaos.

Too often we get stuck in the past and are held hostage by nostalgia.

Take Memories and Move into the Future

John Claypool tells the story of his family farm in western Kentucky. His family had lived on the land for six generations. During a storm, the wind blew over an old pear tree that had been there as long as anybody could remember. He said his grandfather was saddened to lose the tree on which he had climbed as a boy and whose fruit he had eaten all his life.

A neighbor came by and said, “Doc, I’m really sorry to see your pear tree blown down.”

His grandfather said, “I’m sorry too. It was a real part of my past.”

“What are you going to do?”

His grandfather paused for a moment and said, “I’m going to pick the fruit and burn what’s left.”

Memories, light the corners of my mind. How will you respond to those memories?

Name what has been good and what has gotten you to this point in ministry? Pick the fruit. Celebrate by giving thanks. Name the lessons that were learned. Enjoy the memories. Then, take what you have learned and the memories and move into the future.

Return

As you reflect upon the day, give God thanks for the memories of the day. What have you learned about yourself today? What did you learn about others? Give God thanks for what you are learning.

Where did you see Jesus today? What was the situation or circumstance of your experience? Give God thanks for the experience. Ask God to give you more opportunities to see Jesus in everyday and ordinary ways.

Who received God’s love through you today? What step will you take to allow God to

love others more through you?

What will you do differently tomorrow? 

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Naming Current Reality in Church Leadership

How many meetings have you attended when an action was needed but no action was taken? A meeting where the need for a decision was either postponed for more discussion or handed off to a committee to make a recommendation? How much time have you invested in discussing an issue and then, as we say, “kicked the can further down the road?”

If you have experienced any of those meetings, you are in the company of some influential biblical characters. One of the great stories in the bible is the story of the Exodus. You know the story. The Israelites, the chosen people of God, were freed from slavery when Moses challenged Pharoah and led them into the wilderness.

Their escape took them to the banks of the Red Sea. When they got to the sea, they found themselves between the Egyptian army and the water. As you can imagine, there was a lot of anxiety and fear.

Biblical Leadership Lesson

Moses faced a dilemma. To lead the people into the water would be to drown, but to wait without action would be to be captured and punished by the Egyptians. They were trapped. Someone needed to make a decision and to be the first person into the water and to test God’s promise of deliverance.

The Hebrew Midrash, the stories of the rabbis, tells that the leaders of the tribes of Israel gathered at the edge of the water to decide who would go into the water first.

Isn’t it interesting that action was needed, but the leaders did what they knew to do. They had a committee meeting. As the story goes, they were unable to come to a decision. Their indecision created more anxiety and fear.

Quietly Courageous Leadership

It was at that point that Nashon, son of Amminidab, stood up and began to walk into the water. He stepped out in faith trusting God’s promise of deliverance.

Again, as the story goes, he walked into the water up to his ankles and the waters did not part. He walked into the water up to his waist, and the waters did not part. Up to his shoulders, up to his chin, and the waters did not part. He continued. As he took the step that would have put his nose under water, the waters parted.

Nashon, simply remembering the purpose of escaping from Egypt and remembering the promise given to Moses, quietly got up and did what was required. It was risky. But while others argued about the right way to do things, he stepped up to fulfill the intended purpose of the moment.

Nashon did not “kick the can down the road.” He faced the reality of the situation and acted upon what he trusted to be true. He risked his reputation, even his life, to lead the Israelites to safety. Nashon based his decision upon God’s promise of deliverance.

Church Leadership Challenges

Although we might not think our time is as dramatic as the Exodus, we are living in some desperate times. We need courageous leaders to step out in risky action, trusting God’s love, to address the anxiety and fear in which we are living.

Gil Rendle in his book Quietly Courageous, names three barriers to courageous and effective leadership. At the risk of being too simplistic, these barriers are the temptation of playing it safe (nostalgia), the temptation of Christian empathy (distorted empathy), and the temptation of tiredness (working harder instead of smarter).

To address these barriers, Rendle writes, “the first task of leadership is to paint an honest picture of the current reality.” He goes on to write, “The current reality is so deeply changed that it challenges old ways of leadership and asks for quiet, purposeful courage.”

Naming Truth in Christian Leadership

So, let me start with this. Most of the characters in the J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter novels refer to the evil character, Voldemort, as “He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.” But there is one character, Harry Potter, who dares to say “the name” aloud.

Repeatedly, Harry is quieted, scolded, and “shhh’d” for saying Voldemort’s name. It is in saying his name that Harry claims power over “He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.” Harry named the reality that others were afraid to name.

Perhaps the avoidance of naming reality should be called the “Voldemort Effect.” It has more to do with the current reality of leadership in the local church than you might think.

“The Effect” seems to be huge in many of our churches. It presents itself in the way we face reality and make our decisions. When you do not have the courage to name the current reality of your congregation, you fall victim to “the effect.” By not naming reality, you are unable to claim the power needed to move forward.

“He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named” shows up as nostalgia, distorted empathy, and overwork. Just as Voldemort started out as a good character, nostalgia and empathy are not bad within themselves. But when they demand unhealthy respect, each one can become harmful. Nostalgia hides in the closets, classrooms, sanctuaries, and parking lots. Nostalgia can make property more important than people.

Even worse, when unbridled nostalgia, empathy, and not letting go take control of our purpose, they can become the very realities you refuse to name. In the midst of not facing reality, you are faced with indecision and disengagement.

Let’s take a closer look at these realities that can and often blind us from the truth of our current reality.

Nostalgia

Memory is a gift from God. It is good at helping us with context and direction. It helps us become who God created us to be for today. But when memory enslaves you to the past and paralyzes you with fear, it is problematic. Being held hostage by yesterday does not produce fruit for tomorrow. It is time to name your captivity. You need to lay the fears of yesterday to rest. It is time to be courageous in your decisions. Keep your mission the priority. Create new memories. Take the risk to step out in faith, trusting God’s direction for this day.

Empathy

Identifying with another person’s feelings is a blessing. Understanding how other people feel is a good thing. Empathy is a gift from God. But when you distort empathy by getting stuck in a pattern of being nice, over-identifying, making decisions that will not offend friends, or masking your niceness as grace, you distort empathy.

The church and our culture need courageous Jesus followers to name what has become unhealthy, cheap grace. Then, we need courageous leaders to reframe empathy and lead people into the tough ministries of loving the people they encounter each day (neighbors). The neighbors you might or might not know or you might or might not like, or you are not sure you want to know.

Tiredness

The work of the church is some of the greatest work any one of us can be involved in. It is engaging, energizing, and exciting. On the other hand, church work, which has its necessary place, is too often energy draining and challenging in negative ways.

Being worn out because you do not have healthy habits of time management is not good for you or for the church. Too often you and I are involved in church activities to avoid the real mission of the church. You give too much time to the church to keep the machinery running but give little time or effort to make a difference in the community. I am not saying you should not be involved in the work of the church. But I am saying that any work that is not leading you and the church into the waters of the mission, supporting the mission, and making a difference in the community should be examined and named for what it is.

Courageous Christian Leadership

The time has come, in fact it is past time, for courageous Jesus followers to hold the purpose of the church above all other concerns (nostalgia, empathy, agendas). We need courageous leaders to guide our congregations into God’s plan and purpose of Shalom.

Even though “the effect” seems to be huge, we need courageous Christ-centered leaders to name that which we are afraid to name. Only then, can we claim the power to lead to be a welcoming community of faith, hope, and love, while serving as the hands of Christ. Only then, can we claim the power of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of Charleston, the Kanawha Valley, West Virginia, and the world.

So, how will you claim and use the power to lead this week? Will you take the risk of naming the reality of your present context?

As we stand on the edge of the sea, will you lead us into the waters of deliverance?

Know of my prayers for you and for our church as, together, we step into the waters of today to provide a bright hope for tomorrow.

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Leading with Integrity

Effective leadership is in high demand. People want the strongest, most qualified, most effective people to lead their churches as well as their communities, schools, and country. They are looking for leaders they can trust, as well as leaders of compassion, stability, and hope. They are looking for leaders with a solid foundation of good character and integrity.

Failure of leadership today is not the absence of competence or skills, but simply sustaining credibility and integrity with people. There is a growing need for courageous leaders who can and will face and navigate the challenges of today. 

In the Sermon on Mount, Jesus teaches and trains his followers to do greater things than he has done. He begins with developing the inner life and moves to developing healthy relationships. When it comes to effective and courageous leadership, integrity is experienced in and through relationships. 

Use the pattern of Read, Reflect, Respond, Return as a tool to assist you in developing healthy relationships as you become more of the leader God has created you to be. 

Read Matthew 5:21-37

“You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder,’ and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment, and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council, and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire. So, when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift… 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart… 

“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

“Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.’ But I say to you: Do not swear at all…Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one. (Selected verses Matthew 5:21-37).

Reflect

According to Matthew, God sent Jesus to teach us how to live a holy and righteous life. For him, a holy and righteous life had more to do with relationships than it did with the avoidance of impure thoughts or actions. It is more than being a nice person who says and does the right things. The holy life or righteous life is lived in relationship with God and with others.

To be holy or righteous is to love others as God in Jesus has loved you. You love with agape, not centered upon emotion or likes and dislikes, but centered in a conscious choice to love as you have been loved. So, being an effective leader means you lead with love. Leading with love is relational. Here is where leading with integrity comes in.  

Integrity

Too often we limit integrity to outward actions or decisions, like acting with integrity. We see it as one of the keys to positive and productive work. Integrity in leaders is usually referred to as being honest, trustworthy, and reliable. Leaders with integrity not only talk the talk but walk the walk. They practice what they preach. They own up to their mistakes, as opposed to hiding them, blaming others, or making excuses.

Now, please don’t misunderstand me. There is nothing wrong or ineffective with acting with integrity. Believe me, I wish there were more of us who did live and act with integrity.  But too often we limit our understanding of integrity to outward actions.

Holiness & Righteousness

Jesus is teaching, in the Sermon on Mount, that holiness and righteousness are deeper than what you do or don’t do. He is teaching that holiness and righteousness are who you are. The holy life or righteous life is lived in relationship with God and with others at the deepest levels of your life.

So, he says (Bias translation), “just because you have not murdered someone does not make you righteous.” Holiness goes to the root of who you are, to your anger, to your name-calling. Your integrity is seen in your relationship, not in what you do or don’t do.

In fact, relationships are so important, “when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift…” And, even deeper than that, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Integrity is experienced in your relationships with others.

It is the same with adultery and divorce. You are not holy or righteous because you are sexually pure or not at fault in a broken relationship. I celebrate with you that you are not an adulterer and that you have not been divorced. But the point to Jesus’ teaching is the integrity of relationships. Being a beloved child of God, you are interacting with others as beloved daughters and sons of God. Your integrity is not seen in what you do or don’t do as much as in who you are in relation to others.

The Depth of Integrity

Integrity is so deep, who you are can be counted upon even in what you say. “Let your word be your truth.” Your “yes” be “yes” and your “no” be “no.” Your righteousness is your integrity. It shows up in your verbal agreements, but it is who you are in what you say.

So, if you are a person of integrity, it is not in what you do or don’t do. It is in your love and care of the people around you. Leading with integrity means you lead with love and grace.  

Who you are is how you lead.

Respond

Continue to lead with trust, stability, compassion, and hope. The point of leading with integrity is that trust, stability, compassion, and hope are woven into the fabric of who you are more than the characteristics you try to emulate.  

So, continue to be vulnerable and genuine with the people with whom you work. Look for the potential in others and equip them to live into it. Be generous in your assessments, giving the benefit of the doubt. Be courageous in your decision-making, creating a space for trust and collaboration.

Cultivate trust and compassion. Take pride in the work of the people entrusted to you and focus on their well-being. Be grateful for the work of your colleagues and give credit to whomever credit is due.

Lead with Love

Remember, you are leading with agape. Who you are is how you lead, so lead with:  

  1. Vulnerability

Being vulnerable means you nurture a culture where people feel safe and where you, when struggling, find support and care. It takes courage to be vulnerable. Instead of hiding your failures and covering up your weaknesses, own them. Ask for feedback and learn from others. Your authenticity helps build trust and your capacity to care. Your experience of trust creates compassion for and acceptance of those around you. 

Leading with integrity is difficult at times, but it is who you are.   

2. Listening

Be quick to listen and slow to speak. Leading with integrity means you build trust by showing your capacity to care. It means you create a culture where people feel safe to speak up and where you are slow to shut people down. 

It takes courage to listen. You know where you are going. You know the path that needs to be taken. And you know what needs to be done to navigate the barriers. Leading with integrity gives people the opportunity to be heard because that is who you are.   

3. Generosity

Being generous means that you make a genuine effort to understand others. Being generous means that you assume that your colleagues have good intentions, and are doing the best they can under the circumstances.

So, listen to what is being said, ask questions for clarity, explore their perspectives. It is easy to judge and blame when things do not work the way you want them to work. So, stay open and curious in conversations. Create an environment where people feel heard, seen, and cared for. 

Leading with integrity means you are loving others as God in Christ has loved you. It is difficult to be generous when you are depending upon others to do quality work, but your practice of generosity will help you lead with integrity.

Return

Give God thanks for the people you met today. In what situation did you act with holiness? Were your actions part of who you are or part of being nice? In what situations did you feel you were leading with integrity? How did you assist others in moving forward with integrity, of becoming more who God created them to be? Give God thanks for the opportunities you had to love others as you have been loved.

Prayer

O God, I give you thanks for the assurance that you are shaping me more into the person you created me to be. Help me be more aware of my relationships and of the people you want me to love. By your grace, give the courage and grace to lead others into and through the difficult moments of loving others as you have loved me. As one of your beloved children, help me be a leader of integrity. I offer who I am to you in the name of Jesus. Amen. 

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You Will Receive Power – Part 2

Power is part of every area of our lives. In the blog “You Will Receive Power – Part 1” we looked at the possibilities of receiving and proclaiming God’s love for the people around us and for the people we encounter every day.

You can find “You Will Receive Power – Part 1” here.

In Part 2 we want to explore the purpose of power in relationships. So, let’s read Acts I:8:

Read: Acts 1:8

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Reflect

The church’s mission is God’s mission. It functions by the presence and power of God and is carried out in trust and obedience to God.

In response to a question the disciples asked Jesus about power, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6), Jesus replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you…” (Acts 1:7-8).

As a Jesus follower, your purpose is to be who God created you to be, a witness to God’s love. You live out your purpose in a relationship with the people you encounter each day. You extend the love you have received with family and friends, colleagues and neighbors, those who need special care, to strangers and, yes, even to enemies.  

You are given power to live into your purpose and to assist others in living into their purpose. Even when you think you are not equipped to love as you have been loved, you have been given power to do so.

You are given the power to communicate past the barriers of race, gender, nationality, culture, and your likes and dislikes. It is the power of God’s love that becomes your priority, and you are empowered to love when you do not think you have the power or ability to love.

Respond

Over my years of ministry, I have learned there are different types of power. Keeping in mind your purpose to witness to God’s love, there is:

The Power Over

This power can be seen in parenting or in the classroom, as well as in the workplace and in the church. There is a place for the parent or teacher to have authority. This power is used effectively when exercised in relationships grounded in love, trust, and compassion. 

But when this power is seen in the workplace or in the church, it is usually because the person of authority feels threatened or is afraid of losing power. It is difficult to develop healthy relationships of trust when you feel you must control every situation, decision, or person you encounter.

When you focus on having and keeping power, you seek to protect it. You leverage fear and intimidation to keep it. There is little trust and lots of manipulation. Vulnerability and empathy are seen as weaknesses, disagreements are seen as negative, and being nice becomes the major mode of operation. At this point, you have lost sight of your purpose of loving as you have been loved.

To use this power might help you succeed in the short term, but over the long run, you become a detriment to your purpose, and you lose any positive influence you could have with the people around you. You might feel you are courageous to face the resistance you receive, but there is little or no courageous leadership when you lead by exercising power over people.

The Power With and Power To

This power can be seen in the workplace and in the church, as well as at home and at school. In each context, those in authority know that power is not theirs to keep, so they seek to share it with the people around them. 

Whether at work, in the church, as a parent, or a teacher, you come alongside others as a mentor, and you learn and grow together. You model the characteristics of vulnerability and empathy. When fear and uncertainty are present, you lead with transparency and grace. You leverage love and connection as ways of bringing people together to accomplish your purpose.

When you focus on others, whether it be your children, colleagues, or friends, you create a climate for discovering, learning, and developing. You focus on the needs, desires, and values of the people with whom you live, work, and associate. You love them as you have been loved. You seek to serve rather than be served. You empower people to live into their strengths and talents and you benefit from their exercise of power. You love people because the development of people is your purpose. 

Using this power helps you become a person of positive influence. Bob Goff says it this way, “God doesn’t give us influence so we can lead people better. He gives it so we can love people more.” Who you are is rooted in your love and care for people, as you share power with them and love them. 

The Power Within

This power is about developing your own sense of agency, as well as instilling a sense of agency in the people around you. In the words of Martin Luther King, “I can achieve purpose and effect change.” 

When you live from your center, you genuinely love people. Your care and concern are not about dominating them but loving them. You depend on empathy, rather than showing your strength. You choose respect over friendship and want truth and transparency. You work for the good of the people you influence and encounter.

Your power to influence comes from within. As you learn that the power is not about you, you begin to understand that your character is important. You learn that it is not only what you say, but how you say it that makes the difference. As you live from within, you discover that being clear is kind and that people appreciate clear and direct communication. Because you are centered upon the love of God deep within, you become more credible, competent, and persuasive as a follower of Jesus.

Using this power helps you empower others to live into their potential. So, you become more the person you were created to be by “recognizing the potential in people and ideas,” and sharing your power, as you come alongside them to love them.  

So, how are you using the power given to you? How are you developing the potential of family members, colleagues, and friends? What do you need to change? In what areas do you need to grow?    

Return

As you reflect upon the day, think of two people who have influenced you and helped you in living into your potential. What did they do to assist you? Now, give God thanks for them and their love and care for you.

Think of two or three people you have the potential to influence. How will you assist them in developing their potential? What help do you need to assist them? Now, give God thanks for them. Ask God for the power to love them as God has loved you.

What step will you take to become who God has created you to be? You have been given the power to love as you have been loved. What step will you take to allow the power of God’s love to direct your life and relationships?  

Remember, you have received power…starting where you are with the people around you. Be the witness of God’s love you have been created to be.

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You Will Receive Power – Part 1

Power is part of every area of our lives. Whether it is romantic relationships, family interactions, work dynamics, or church connections, most of us spend our lives attempting to acquire and leverage power. 

We seek positions of authority to influence people, control resources, and direct information. We pursue decision-making positions to have some control over issues that affect our everyday living. There are experts who say that we all need power to live into our full potential.   

Followers of Jesus grow to know and understand that with power comes responsibility. As you navigate these disruptive and chaotic times, you soon realize you have to be intentional in your loving and caring. In fact, as a follower of Jesus, you receive power to lead with love and care.

Power and Potential

On good days you understand the weight of this responsibility. But there are days you want to use your power to put people in their place or at least help them see the error of their ways.  So, how do you use your power to assist people to live into their full potential? How do you empower them to become who God created them to be?

Some people would say that “power is your ability to control the activities of other individuals.” Although there is some truth in that statement, I believe Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. got closer to a healthy understanding of power when he said, “Power properly understood is nothing but the ability to achieve purpose.”

Leadership and Power

In the context of leadership, some people would say that good leadership is “the ability to inspire people to follow your instructions without exercising any form of force.” Again, there is some truth in that statement, but I believe Brené Brown gets closer to defining a good leader when she says, “A leader is anyone who takes responsibility for recognizing the potential in people and ideas and has the courage to develop that potential.” (Brené Brown)

However you say it, you and I, as followers of Jesus, have the responsibility to use our power, authority, and influence to assist the people around us to live into their God-given potential. It is by sharing your power and influence that helps you become more who God created you to be. So, how are you using your power to help develop the potential of family members, colleagues, and friends?

I want to look at the possibilities of receiving and proclaiming God’s love for the people around you and for the people you encounter each day. Let’s start with Acts 1:8.

Read Acts 1:8

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Reflect on Acts 1:8

The church’s mission is God’s mission. It functions by the presence and power of God and is carried out in trust and obedience to God.

“You will receive power…” is the assurance of God’s presence and strength. The church is more than a group of good people trying hard, by their own strength, to make the world a better place. The Greek word “dynamis” implies God’s strength and ability given to the followers of Jesus.

“…when the Holy Spirit comes upon you…” is the baptism of the Church. Just as Jesus, after being baptized was praying, the Holy Spirit came upon him and anointed him. God has anointed the Church with the Holy Spirit

Witnesses

“You will be my witnesses,” is one of the major themes in Acts. The word “witness” is the Greek word “martys” which implies sacrifice or putting yourself second. It is an important word for Luke. Just like “disciple,” it designates the work of a follower of Jesus. Although there were eyewitnesses to the ministry of Jesus, “witnesses” here refers to those who tell of the mighty acts of God in history which focuses upon Jesus, the human touch of God’s love.

To be a witness of Jesus is more than a private, individualistic experience of Jesus. It is following Jesus in self-denial, adopting his priorities, serving others in love. To be a witness calls the followers of Jesus to verbally give testimony to why they live this way.

“In Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth:” This is the story told in the Acts of the Apostles. It represents not only a numerical and geographical expansion of the church, but a widening of theological perspectives as it grows into its true mission. This mission is in direct relation to God’s call upon Israel (Isaiah 49:6), where Israel, the Servant of God, is charged to be God’s witness to the nations to the ends of the earth. The followers of Jesus are called to reorient their perspective. The shift is from looking for power to return to what they once had to looking out into the world and their mission in it.

Respond to Acts 1:8

As a follower of Jesus, you have received power to love as Jesus loved. You start where you are with the people you know and move out into the community to people you might not know, including people you might try to avoid. Your witness moves beyond yourself to the whole world. You might think of it this way:

Your Jerusalem might be your family or your church.

Your Judea could be your broader community like where you work, where you live, or where you go to school.  

Your Samaria may be uncomfortable. It might include people different from you or people you avoid.

And “the ends of the earth?” It might include all the people outside your sphere of influence but need God’s love and care just like the other people you encounter.

Take a few minutes to reflect upon these questions:

  • What is your “Jerusalem”? Where has God already placed you to love and care for people?
  • Are there “Samaritans” in your life, people or places you’ve avoided, who God might be calling you to love?
  • What would it look like to be open to a global impact, even through small acts of love and care?

Return 

At the end of the day, reflect upon your day.

Give God thanks for the people you encountered. In whom did you see Jesus? In what situations did you receive the power to love, to forgive, or to care? What did you learn about yourself? What will you do differently tomorrow? Give God thanks for the experiences that have helped you become who God created you to be.