1) Judge yourself.
2) Let a problem find you.
3) Do the big thing.
4) Survive success.
We're on the second insight: letting a problem find you. Let the problem do more than find you; let it hunt you down. You won't take significant action unless something really bothers you. It's the Nehemiah principle. Read the first few chapters of Nehemiah. Nehemiah didn't just do the right thing. He did not merely do what should have been done; he did what he felt unbendingly compelled to do. He had a nearly pathological focus on his mission. So did Moses, David, and Paul. So did Jesus.
Popular leadership literature often features vision as a driving force. I love most of what I've read, but I notice that until I understand how Nehemiah felt as he rode through the ruins of the walls of Jerusalem, and why he did this, I don't really understand what needs to stir in me if I am to truly lead.
Notice that the problem found Nehemiah. It came his way. He received it, and then he responded. I think one of the most overlooked aspects of the story of Nehemiah's success is his initial reaction to things in the first handful of verses of chapter 1. He was AVAILABLE to be bothered by a combination of news and knowledge of what God wanted. He wasn't too busy. He didn't blame anyone else or point fingers away from himself. He entertained no excuses. Passion for action consumed self-interest. He wept, mourned, and prayed. He took the whole tragedy on himself, which is not something to do lightly. In fact, his own sense of being bothered was always greater than the bother of any people, friends or foes. What a key to effectiveness this is!
What's bothering you today?
whoa...let the problem find me, let me be bothered. That's what got me elected into public office and what made me step down.. there was a problem, it got fixed and I wasn't bothered anymore.
ReplyDeleteBut being bothered, especially by the unpopular "causes", means that there has to be an element of transparency in my life, of being honest with myself and before the Lord. Pretty much a "Till we have Faces" moment. That can be intimidating.. coming to the Lord without the Happy Christian Soldier mask but speaking with my own voice.
When I speak with my own little feeble voice before the Throne of Grace I can accept whatever "problem" the Grace Giver throws in my lap because I acknowledge that He supplied me with the gifts/tools to address that problem. It's really not my problem, it's His problem and He wants to use me to fix it. (how humbling is that? to know that the Lord wants me as a partner in something? wow..) I have to trust Him that He knows what He's doing, especially I don't.
Well, I'm bothered and I'll be in your office next week to volunteer.
Man, I miss hearing these insights regularly! Good reminders to allow ourselves to become emotional and passionate about the problems that find us.
ReplyDeleteI tend to be good at letting problems find me but tend to wait for solutions to find me as well. I love Nehemiah's response of allowing the problem to break his heart and then taking his broken heart to God until God revealed the path to the solution. And then Nehemiah acted with boldness and precision.
Good Stuff- Have a great Christmas and give love to your girls from us in San Jose!