2017-10-22
2 Korintiërs 7:4 NLV
Wanneer mense ‘gebruik’ voel, sal hulle hul werk halfhartig doen, maar wanneer hulle gewaardeer voel, sal hulle jou orals volg. Paulus, een van die beste leiers van alle tye, het vir die Korintiese gelowiges gesê, ‘Ek is baie openhartig met julle; ek is ook baie trots op julle. En ek is regtig vol moed en oorstelp van blydskap…’ Hy was hulle grootste rasieleier. Hy het hulle nie net gekorrigeer nie, hy het hulle ook gerusgestel. Hy het hulle nie net vermaan nie, maar hulle ook versterk – al die eienskappe van uitstekende leierskap. Goeie leiers: 1) Is konsekwent. Hulle is ‘n voorbeeld vir ander sodat almal weet dat dit wat op die onderkant van die leer gehoor word, aan die bokant uitgeoefen word. 2) Wys hulle waardering, omdat hulle besef dat mense nodig het om te hoor dat hulle ‘n belangrike deel van die span en die visie is. 3) Luister altyd na voorstelle, opinies, besorgdhede en idees. Hulle oordeel nie vooraf nie en hulle is nie ongeduldig nie. Die skrywer Betty Bender het gesê: ‘Dis ‘n fout om jouself met mense te omring wat net soos jy is. Gooi die bekende af en omring jouself met verskillende en verbeeldingryke mense. Kyk dan hoe baie idees kom na vore!’ 4) Moenie mense as statistieke sien nie. Mense is nie net wins en verlies nie. 5) Verduidelik hoekom dinge op ‘n spesifieke manier gedoen word. Dit verminder foute en mense sal dan nie voel dat hulle net bevele uitvoer nie. Clarence Francis het gesê, ‘Jy kan ‘n man se tyd en fisiese teenwoordighed op ‘n sekere plek koop. Jy kan egter nie entoesiasme, inisiatief, lojaliteit en toewyding koop nie. Jy moet dit verdien.’
Sielskos: Jes 61:1-9; Luk 4:16-30
2 Corinthians 7:4 NIV
When people feel “used” they begin to drop out, but when they feel appreciated they’ll follow you anywhere. Paul, one of the finest leaders of all time, told the Corinthian believers, “I have great confidence in you; I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged…my joy knows no bounds” (vv. 3-4 NIV). He was their biggest cheerleader. He didn’t just correct, he comforted. He didn’t just sharpen, he strengthened – all hallmarks of great leadership. Good leaders: (1) Are consistent. They set an example by walking the walk so everyone knows that what’s heard at the bottom is practiced at the top. (2) Voice their appreciation, realizing that people need to know they’re an important part of the team and the vision. (3) Always listen to suggestions, opinions, concerns, and ideas. They don’t prejudge, and they’re not dismissive. Author Betty Bender said: “It’s a mistake to surround yourself only with people just like you. Throw off that warm comforter and replace it with a crazy quilt of different and imaginative people. Then watch the ideas erupt!” (4) Don’t see people as statistics. Businesswoman Mary Kay Ash said, “P&L doesn’t mean ‘profit and loss’ – it means ‘people and love.'” (5) Explain why they like things done a specific way. It lessens mistakes, and the resentment that can stem from feeling “ordered around.” Statesman Clarence Francis said, “You can buy a man’s time and physical presence at a certain place…But you can’t buy enthusiasm, initiative, loyalty, and the devotion of hearts, minds, and souls. You have to earn these things.”
Soul food: Isa 61:1-9; Luke 4:16-30
2017-10-21
Exodus 18:18 NIV
President Theodore Roosevelt once said, “The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it.” Bottom line: Unless you learn to delegate, your leadership will deteriorate and your vision will stagnate. In Exodus, Moses was wearing himself out physically, emotionally, and spiritually trying to keep up with the demands of two million Israelites and be “the answer man” for every problem. That’s when his father-in-law told him, “You cannot handle it alone. Listen…to me and I will give you some advice” (vv. 18-19 NIV). It takes wisdom, maturity, and humility to ask for help. And it’s a sign of strength, not weakness. That’s hard to come to terms with, for those of us who take pride in our ability to “do it all.” The truth is, what Moses was doing was neither good for him nor the people depending on him. As a leader, it’s easy to overestimate your own importance and competence. That’s why Paul cautions, “[Don’t] think you are better than you really are. Use good sense” (Romans 12:3 CEV). God has placed people around you who have certain gifts and talents. When you recognize and involve these people, they’re fulfilled and the job gets done right. God created us to be interdependent, not independent. Delegating authority to the right people strengthened Moses for the task of leading as God intended. When you try to be “all things to all people,” you end up frustrated. You’re not called to do it all, but to get it done through others. That’s what leadership is about.
Soul food: Isa 4-7; John 5:1-15; Ps 126; Prov 27:17-19
Eksodus 18:18 NLV
President Theodore Roosevelt het eenkeer gesê, ‘Die beste bestuurder is die een wat genoeg begrip het om bekwame mense te kies om te doen wat hy gedoen wil hê, en die selfbeheersing het om homself te weerhou om in te meng terwyl hulle dit doen.’ Tensy jy leer om te delegeer, sal jou leierskap agteruitgaan en jou visie sal stagneer. In Eksodus was Moses besig om homself fisies, emosioneel en geestelik uit te put terwyl hy aan die eise en probleme van twee miljoen Israeliete probeer aandag gee het. Dit is toe wat sy skoonpa vir hom sê, ‘…Jy kan dit nie alles op jou eie doen nie. Luister nou na my raad…’ (verse 18-19 NLV). Dit neem wysheid, volwassenheid en nederigheid om hulp te vra. Dis ‘n teken van krag, nie van swakheid nie. Die waarheid is, Moses was nie goed vir homself of die mense wat op hom staatgemaak het nie. As ‘n leier, is dit maklik om jou eie belangrikheid en bekwaamheid te oorskat. Dit is hoekom Paulus waarsku, ‘…Jy moenie dink jy is belangriker as wat jy regtig is nie. Jy moet verstandig dink oor jouself en oor alles…’ (Romeine 12:3 ABA). God het mense met sekere gawes en talente rondom jou geplaas. Wanneer jy hierdie mense herken en betrek, word hulle vervul en word die werk reg gedoen. God het ons geskep om interafhanklik te wees, nie onafhanklik nie. Deur outoriteit aan die regte mense te delegeer, is Moses in sy leierskapstaak versterk, soos God dit wou hê. Wanneer jy probeer om alles vir alle mense te wees, voel jy op die ou einde gefrustreerd. Jy is nie geroep om dit alles te doen nie, maar om dit deur ander mense gedoen te kry. Dit is waaroor leierskap gaan.
Sielskos: Jes 4-7; Joh 5:1-15; Ps 126; Spr 27:17-19
2017-10-20
Psalm 32:5 NLT
David said, “I confessed all my sins to you…And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.” Julie Ann Barnhill writes: “If you’re tired of pretending you have it all together, it’s time to act. For too long Christian women in particular have believed they’re the only ones dealing with shameful issues, agonizing regrets, and skeletons in their closet. Once we open up to God, ourselves, and others, we experience exhilarating freedom and peace. A woman wrote to me: ‘I had an abortion when I was eighteen. Nobody knows. For years I marked the date on my calendar and grieved for the child nobody knew about, and the young woman who bore the guilt alone. No more! Now I know I’m not alone, and for the first time in my life I truly believe God is bigger than my secret – and He’s willing to forgive.’ Secrets only hold power when they’re hidden. Once they’re revealed in the light of God’s love they lose their control. However, there are some things to consider before opening up to someone: (1) If that person repeats things others have shared in confidence, guess who’s up next for discussion? (2) Beware of someone who’s apt to offer unsolicited advice, then take offense when it’s ignored. (3) Stay away from somebody who tries to ‘fix’ you, and tells you not to worry about your secrets. Instead, look for someone who: (a) has good sense and knows when to ‘back off’ and/or move forward when you’re upset; (b) is up-front about their own struggles; (c) is quick to listen and slow to speak; (d) undergirds their words and counsel with scriptural truths.”
Soul food: Ecc 7-9; John 10:22-33; Ps 102:1-11; Prov 30:18-20
