Where there is no guidance, a people falls . . . (Proverbs 11:14).
Farm Journal television interviewed Barry Posner, author of a book called, The Truth About Leadership and I happened to watch that interview at five in the morning. Posner shared four essential qualities for leadership a person must possess if he/she is to lead: 1) To be a leader one must be honest and possess integrity. A lie is generally not hidden for ever; the truth comes out eventually so that a person's ability to lead is seriously compromised, if not ended. Politicians are great illustrations of this point.
2) To be a leader one must possess vision. Where is it that the leader wants to take those who follow? Much of the time leader want-to-be's do not have followers because they have no clear vision of where they want to go and cannot articulate how to get there.
3) To be a leader one must be inspiring. This is a quality of leadership that is a gift and not all people possess it to the same degree though most people possess it to some degree. Charisma, achievement, power, position and relationships are inspirational qualities, but, it seems to me that there is an intangible quality to this quality of leadership. Charisma might come the closest in describing it, but there are some who are recognized as leaders simply by how they carry themselves with self confidence and personal authority.
4). To be a good leader, one must be competent. Each of us is a leader to somebody, so each of us has to make the effort to become as knowledgeable and skillful as we can be. Good leadership does not just happen. One has to be intentional about becoming the best leader he/she can be because there are many who are watching . . . And if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit (Matthew 15:14).
5) Dr Posner did not include this one as necessary for leadership, but the Lord did: . . . and the leader as one who serves (Luke 22:26). Leadership is about love and service. I have almost no hope that our politicians will ever get it. They call themselves public servants while enriching themselves in political office, acting like kings and nobles while fleecing the citizens of the United States. Being a servant is leadership by example, teaching by behavior.
You will lead someone in 2012. Do what it takes to become the best leader you can be.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Friday, December 23, 2011
WHAT IS MORE IMPORTANT: WHAT HEAVEN IS LIKE OR KNOWING THE ONE WHO MADE HEAVEN?
For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him (John 3:17).
Recently, I have had occasion to think about heaven more. I've wondered why God does not tell us more of what heaven will be like--perhaps more people would desire to go there if they had a clearer picture of heaven. We all want to go to heaven, but if the Lord is getting a bus load up today, maybe we will want to take a later bus.
I was thinking about this as I was reading the Bible this morning and decided that what is really important is not so much the destination, but who one will be with at the destination. If one is a disciplined reader of the Bible, then one will get a clearer picture of the nature of the Creator, Redeemer, Father, Brother and Friend with whom we will spend eternity. Anywhere will be Heaven if they are there. Anywhere will be hell if they are not.
The Christmas story reveals the nature of our God. I hope you spend this Christmas getting to know the One who truly loves you.
Our Father's Love,
Tom
Recently, I have had occasion to think about heaven more. I've wondered why God does not tell us more of what heaven will be like--perhaps more people would desire to go there if they had a clearer picture of heaven. We all want to go to heaven, but if the Lord is getting a bus load up today, maybe we will want to take a later bus.
I was thinking about this as I was reading the Bible this morning and decided that what is really important is not so much the destination, but who one will be with at the destination. If one is a disciplined reader of the Bible, then one will get a clearer picture of the nature of the Creator, Redeemer, Father, Brother and Friend with whom we will spend eternity. Anywhere will be Heaven if they are there. Anywhere will be hell if they are not.
The Christmas story reveals the nature of our God. I hope you spend this Christmas getting to know the One who truly loves you.
Our Father's Love,
Tom
Friday, December 16, 2011
IS TEBOW A HERO?
For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels (Mark 8:38).
For my non-American readers, Tim Tebow is a professional football player, quarterback of the Denver, Broncos. Since Tebow has been elevated to the starting quarterback, the Broncos have won six games in a row, vaulting the team to first place in the western division. For the Tom Steele family, this has been a wonderful thing because we have been Denver fans since we lived in Colorado--about 35 years.
What has made Tebow such a subject of controversy is that he is a devout Christian and is not afraid to let others know about his faith. He is not an "arrogant twit" about it, but seems to be the real deal; he is quite refreshing. Actually, Tebow is not the greatest athlete in the world, but he is a great one and he seems to have this intangible quality about him that is more than leadership, it is about inspiring the players around him to play better than they are otherwise able; Larry Bird is one of the few other professional athletes who had this gift.
The criticism, mocking and shaming that have been directed towards Tebow have not seemed to affect him at all; he still stands firmly for the Lord. Some have suggested that if real bullets were being shot at Tebow he wouldn't be so brave. I think just the opposite, standing for the the Lord in spite of the onslaught of very public criticism indicates real courage that would be steady under fire.
What about you? Do you have the courage to take the stand that Tebow has?
Go Tebow! Go Broncos!
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
For my non-American readers, Tim Tebow is a professional football player, quarterback of the Denver, Broncos. Since Tebow has been elevated to the starting quarterback, the Broncos have won six games in a row, vaulting the team to first place in the western division. For the Tom Steele family, this has been a wonderful thing because we have been Denver fans since we lived in Colorado--about 35 years.
What has made Tebow such a subject of controversy is that he is a devout Christian and is not afraid to let others know about his faith. He is not an "arrogant twit" about it, but seems to be the real deal; he is quite refreshing. Actually, Tebow is not the greatest athlete in the world, but he is a great one and he seems to have this intangible quality about him that is more than leadership, it is about inspiring the players around him to play better than they are otherwise able; Larry Bird is one of the few other professional athletes who had this gift.
The criticism, mocking and shaming that have been directed towards Tebow have not seemed to affect him at all; he still stands firmly for the Lord. Some have suggested that if real bullets were being shot at Tebow he wouldn't be so brave. I think just the opposite, standing for the the Lord in spite of the onslaught of very public criticism indicates real courage that would be steady under fire.
What about you? Do you have the courage to take the stand that Tebow has?
Go Tebow! Go Broncos!
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
DID JESUS LAUGH OR DOES GOD HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR?
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them (Genesis 1:27).
The short answer is yes, even though the Bible does not speak of Jesus, God become flesh, as laughing. In the New Testament Jesus wept, but it does not say, "Jesus laughed." In the Old Testament it is recorded that God laughs, but it is a laugh of derision, not a belly laugh of humor. So how can I say that Jesus did laugh and that God does have a sense of humor? First and foremost, human beings have a sense of humor and laugh. I believe because human beings are created in the image of God, I infer from that truth that because humans have an innate sense of humor and laugh, then the God who created us in His image, must have a sense of humor and laugh too. How could we survive in this sinful world without humor? A lot of humor comes from the shared experience of the struggle of living in this world.
All of us laugh. If we do not laugh then we are struggling with twisted theology or mental illness because clean joking and laughing are hallmarks of health. I know that in the world of theology there are those who believe the fall of Adam caused the total depravity and that depravity completely obscures the image of God so that what is seen in the natural man is only depravity; even if a natural person does something apparently good it was from an evil motive.
I believe in original righteousness, not in original sin. There is no question that the fall of Adam does obscure the image of God in our lives, but not completely. God's image, original righteousness, does shine through the clouds once in a while and allows people to do noble things, to cheer each other up, and to laugh. I wonder if when Jesus was eating with sinners or hanging around children he told a joke or two and laughed. There are some stories in the New Testament that, I believe, cannot be properly interpreted without the humor factor.
It is interesting that hell is described as a place of weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth, and it is never said there is laughter there. In contrast, it is said that in Heaven there are no tears, grief, pain or death, but it does not say laughter will be taken away! It appears to me that Heaven will be a place where there is lots of love and laughter.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
The short answer is yes, even though the Bible does not speak of Jesus, God become flesh, as laughing. In the New Testament Jesus wept, but it does not say, "Jesus laughed." In the Old Testament it is recorded that God laughs, but it is a laugh of derision, not a belly laugh of humor. So how can I say that Jesus did laugh and that God does have a sense of humor? First and foremost, human beings have a sense of humor and laugh. I believe because human beings are created in the image of God, I infer from that truth that because humans have an innate sense of humor and laugh, then the God who created us in His image, must have a sense of humor and laugh too. How could we survive in this sinful world without humor? A lot of humor comes from the shared experience of the struggle of living in this world.
All of us laugh. If we do not laugh then we are struggling with twisted theology or mental illness because clean joking and laughing are hallmarks of health. I know that in the world of theology there are those who believe the fall of Adam caused the total depravity and that depravity completely obscures the image of God so that what is seen in the natural man is only depravity; even if a natural person does something apparently good it was from an evil motive.
I believe in original righteousness, not in original sin. There is no question that the fall of Adam does obscure the image of God in our lives, but not completely. God's image, original righteousness, does shine through the clouds once in a while and allows people to do noble things, to cheer each other up, and to laugh. I wonder if when Jesus was eating with sinners or hanging around children he told a joke or two and laughed. There are some stories in the New Testament that, I believe, cannot be properly interpreted without the humor factor.
It is interesting that hell is described as a place of weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth, and it is never said there is laughter there. In contrast, it is said that in Heaven there are no tears, grief, pain or death, but it does not say laughter will be taken away! It appears to me that Heaven will be a place where there is lots of love and laughter.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
Friday, December 09, 2011
FEELING TRAPPED?
So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the cistern of Malchia, the king's son, which was in the court of the guard, letting Jeremiah down by ropes. And there was no water in the cistern, only mire, and Jeremiah sank in the mire (Jeremiah 38:6).
I have been reading through Jeremiah. For some unknown reason, as I read this verse, I thought about the clients who have spoken of feeling trapped in their marriages, jobs and even their lives. It's funny how a single verse can trigger such thoughts--humm.
Sometimes being trapped is not one's own fault. Being trapped can come through simply being faithful, as Jeremiah was a faithful prophet for God. In those situations, one can, at the very least, have a clear conscience about the situation; it goes a long way toward helping one sleep at night! Of course, if it is true that one is trapped because he/she was being faithful to God's word, then God will also make a way out; Jeremiah was pulled from the cistern.
Most of the time, feeling trapped and/or being trapped is of our own doing; we make the prisons that imprison us. I am not blaming here because we all make mistakes and errors in judgement that are not intentional, but, nevertheless, form the bars of our prison cells. It should go without saying that intentional sins have the same result.
Feeling trapped is hopeless anxiety. It is the feeling that a situation will never change and there is nothing I can do about it; I have no resources or power to bring about change. If one believes in the God of the Bible, he/she already has resources to deal with a hopeless situation, even one of our own making. God is our Redeemer, paying the price for freedom from the prisons in which we find ourselves.
So the place to begin is prayer, asking God's help to see and understand. Sometimes the prisons in which we find ourselves are not prisons at all, it is just a matter of perspective. Reframing a situation can make all the difference in the world. If one can meaning in imprisonment, one can find, not only the strength to persevere, but to flourish. It can be that those in a literal prison can be the most free people, the apostle Paul being an example, because there is meaning in the imprisonment.
The prisons of addiction are the most difficult to deal with, not only because of the dysfunctional family dynamics that form much of the prison, but because of altered body chemistry and brain dysfunction. Even with God's help, it is a tough way out.
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit (II Corinthians 3:17-18).
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
I have been reading through Jeremiah. For some unknown reason, as I read this verse, I thought about the clients who have spoken of feeling trapped in their marriages, jobs and even their lives. It's funny how a single verse can trigger such thoughts--humm.
Sometimes being trapped is not one's own fault. Being trapped can come through simply being faithful, as Jeremiah was a faithful prophet for God. In those situations, one can, at the very least, have a clear conscience about the situation; it goes a long way toward helping one sleep at night! Of course, if it is true that one is trapped because he/she was being faithful to God's word, then God will also make a way out; Jeremiah was pulled from the cistern.
Most of the time, feeling trapped and/or being trapped is of our own doing; we make the prisons that imprison us. I am not blaming here because we all make mistakes and errors in judgement that are not intentional, but, nevertheless, form the bars of our prison cells. It should go without saying that intentional sins have the same result.
Feeling trapped is hopeless anxiety. It is the feeling that a situation will never change and there is nothing I can do about it; I have no resources or power to bring about change. If one believes in the God of the Bible, he/she already has resources to deal with a hopeless situation, even one of our own making. God is our Redeemer, paying the price for freedom from the prisons in which we find ourselves.
So the place to begin is prayer, asking God's help to see and understand. Sometimes the prisons in which we find ourselves are not prisons at all, it is just a matter of perspective. Reframing a situation can make all the difference in the world. If one can meaning in imprisonment, one can find, not only the strength to persevere, but to flourish. It can be that those in a literal prison can be the most free people, the apostle Paul being an example, because there is meaning in the imprisonment.
The prisons of addiction are the most difficult to deal with, not only because of the dysfunctional family dynamics that form much of the prison, but because of altered body chemistry and brain dysfunction. Even with God's help, it is a tough way out.
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit (II Corinthians 3:17-18).
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
Saturday, December 03, 2011
CHARACTER FORMATION/SPIRITUAL FORMATION
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit (II Corinthians 3:17-18).
The goal of character and spiritual formation is Christ-likeness. It is foolish to think that this can be accomplished by pastors, parents, teachers, counselors, coaches and their methods alone. Without the dynamic of Holy Spirit, it is futility to think that we can accomplish more than Pavlovian responses from those in our charge. So, character/spiritual formation has to begin with prayer!
People are more than animals, they are also spiritual beings. John Rosemond, in an article called, Children, Rats and Mazes, pointed out: . . . the principles that govern the behavior of a rat do not govern the behavior of a human being. A rat is subject to the force of reward and punishment. A human is not. Reward a child for obedience and he is likely to turn right around and disobey the first chance he gets. Punish a child for misbehaving and the misbehavior may get worse. This is not because the child carries a gene that makes him impervious to "normal forms of discipline." It is because of all the species on the planet, only human beings are capable of acting deliberately contrary to their best interests, even when they know where their best interests lie. While I do not know the faith-perspective of Dr. Rosemond, I do know that what he has said is consistent with Biblical revelation. I also infer from Dr. Rosemond's quote that external circumstances are not determiners of behavior, only dynamics. It means that a person has it in his power to act completely different from what powerful family and work dynamics seem to dictate.
The purpose of spiritual/character formation is not for the glory and convenience of the parents, pastors or life coaches, but it is for the glory of God and the good of those in whom the character of Holy Spirit is to be formed. It is important to mention this because properly behaving children make life much easier for parents, but good behavior is not for the parent's convenience, it is for the welfare of the children in this life and the life to come.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
The goal of character and spiritual formation is Christ-likeness. It is foolish to think that this can be accomplished by pastors, parents, teachers, counselors, coaches and their methods alone. Without the dynamic of Holy Spirit, it is futility to think that we can accomplish more than Pavlovian responses from those in our charge. So, character/spiritual formation has to begin with prayer!
People are more than animals, they are also spiritual beings. John Rosemond, in an article called, Children, Rats and Mazes, pointed out: . . . the principles that govern the behavior of a rat do not govern the behavior of a human being. A rat is subject to the force of reward and punishment. A human is not. Reward a child for obedience and he is likely to turn right around and disobey the first chance he gets. Punish a child for misbehaving and the misbehavior may get worse. This is not because the child carries a gene that makes him impervious to "normal forms of discipline." It is because of all the species on the planet, only human beings are capable of acting deliberately contrary to their best interests, even when they know where their best interests lie. While I do not know the faith-perspective of Dr. Rosemond, I do know that what he has said is consistent with Biblical revelation. I also infer from Dr. Rosemond's quote that external circumstances are not determiners of behavior, only dynamics. It means that a person has it in his power to act completely different from what powerful family and work dynamics seem to dictate.
The purpose of spiritual/character formation is not for the glory and convenience of the parents, pastors or life coaches, but it is for the glory of God and the good of those in whom the character of Holy Spirit is to be formed. It is important to mention this because properly behaving children make life much easier for parents, but good behavior is not for the parent's convenience, it is for the welfare of the children in this life and the life to come.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
