Leadership

 Proverbs 28:16 – The prince that lacks understanding is also a great oppressor: but he that hates covetousness shall prolong his days.

   Leadership is so much more than merely occupying a position; in fact, positional leadership is the lowest, and least effective type. Occupying a position of authority might give you some power, but it does not make you a leader. One who aspires to be a good leader needs many different tools in her tool kit, and, in order to be effective, she must also know how to use them. Shiny new tools may look pretty, but they will be of no benefit to anyone, unless they are put to proper use.

    The highest type of leadership is interpersonal leadership, and one of the primary qualities of that kind of leader is an intelligent and wise understanding of people and things, and how everything relates and is connected. If one lacks the skill and ability to understand, then it matters not what university diploma hangs on the wall, what title is written on the door, or how many years of experience one has under the belt. Understanding is a primary and vital key to the success and effectiveness of any enterprise or relationship. Sadly, however, there are many people in positions of authority, that not only lack these things, but are not even aware of what they lack. They simply do not know that there is a vital need to learn these skills and do better.

    The English word understanding can be traced back to another way of spelling it, and that is; inter-standing, and doesn’t that speak volumes to us? To be an understanding person, then, is to have keen perception and wise intelligence that sees how all persons interact. Truly, we do not stand alone; we inter-stand. John Donne made reference to this truth, when he wrote, centuries ago, ‘No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.’

    There is an old saying that tells us that nature abhors a vacuum, which means that a bare piece of land will not stay bare for long; something will blow in and take root. Likewise, there is no vacuum in leadership, so if a leader does not possess this quality of understanding, he will not simply be ineffective, unfortunately, other forces will come in and take root and he will, instead, whether knowingly or unknowingly, be a strong force of oppression. Understanding motivates us to lift people up and empower them, but the lack of it pushes people down and oppresses them.

    Another necessary trait of a good leader is an abhorrence and strong distaste for covetousness. To covet is to have a consuming desire to possess for one’s self only. It cares not who owns something, or who has a right to it. It is an extremely self-centred greed, bordering on narcissism, which dictates that the only thing that matters is unending variations of the word, me. Understanding is all about the wide world of others and covetousness is all about the narrow world of self-absorption, which latter world, of course, was fathered by the original, self-focused narcissist; the devil.

    If we are proactive and intentional about realizing what it will take to be a compassionate and decisive leader, there will never be a vacuum. Indeed, the door to all those selfish and harmful elements will stay closed, and our families, organizations and churches will enjoy the blessing of fulfilment and productivity, leaving a legacy that will be enjoyed for a long time.

    

Pick up the Scent Again

 

Proverbs 8:32 – Now therefore hearken unto me, O you children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.

    Imagine what life would be like if we always made wise choices. How would our financial situation look? What state would our health be in? What about our friendships or marriage? Realistically, though, we know that we do not always choose wisely. We live in a very imperfect world and there are many other factors and forces that come into play. A wise person then, may not necessarily, be someone who always acts wisely but one who, after making a wrong choice and possibly even falling, gets back up, dusts himself off and continues down the path of wisdom.

    We are exhorted by Wisdom to hearken to her. Hearken has its’ roots in an Old English word which was used to describe the hound dogs returning to the place where the scent had been lost in order to find it once again. Isn’t that powerful and picturesque? How many times have we lost the scent of God and have gotten off track and lost our way? Wisdom brings us back to the place where the scent has vanished and locates it for us once again.

    A hound is dependent on its nose for tracking, not necessarily its’ eyes or ears. It trusts its’ nose more than what it hears or sees. We, likewise, are to walk by faith and not by sight, not trusting our own understanding, but trusting in the wisdom of God. In other words, wisdom may not always look like wisdom, consequently, there is an element of faith that must go ahead and make the choice that it senses it must make. Purchase the land that other buyers are passing over. Befriend the person who is considered a lost cause. Apply for the job when it appears that it is way out of reach for you. Enter the contest. Start the business. Attend that church. Meet new people. Write the book. Learn the instrument. Trust what you sense inside; trust the guiding wisdom of God.

    Children are those who know that they can not make it on their own. They know their place and recognize their need for another to help. We are to have the spirit and attitude of a child; open, receptive, teachable and pliable. An innocent child is simply happy to be alive and eagerly taking in all the wonder.

    To be blessed is to be in a state of happiness and contentment, never wishing you were someone else, or wanting to be somewhere else. No! A blessed person has all that they need even though they may have many challenges and difficulties to face. It is a spiritual and emotional state that money or fame can never buy because it is not acquired through money; it is acquired through wisdom. There are many rich people in this world who do not have what the blessed person has, and those same rich people may even envy them because that condition of lasting happiness and satisfaction may have eluded them all their life.

    To keep God’s ways implies that we must be aware and on guard that there are enemies to walking in the paths of God. There will always be diversions and different paths being offered in an attempt to side-track us, so to speak. The paths of wisdom are well-established ways that are time-tested and time-trusted. We do not have to reinvent the wheel; those paths already exist. We just have to pick up the scent again and stay close to wisdom’s guidance. They that keep those ways and follow those paths are those who will continue to enjoy the blessing of God’s peace and contentment, no matter what comes their way, and that, my friends, is a satisfying life.