Proverbs 28:19 (NIV) He who works his land will have abundant food, but the one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.
Working the land, like authentic leadership, is about doing the right stuff at the right time in the right amounts.
There’s purpose to that working. There’s commitment to the values whose predicates are often long, tedious hours of “real work.” It’s about caring more for the “land” than for your comfort – there are days when certain work must be accomplished no matter how you feel. Warren Bennis put it this way, “What we are looking for is well-honed judgment that is rooted in visible purpose and values that we consistently count on over time.”
“Working the land: is at least about purpose and commitment to values of stewardship but it is also about capacity – rotating crops to benefit the soil or even resting the land: both helping to yield more of the core crop. Maybe that metaphor becomes reality in cross-training – allowing several to develop and expand skill sets. Takes extra effort. It’s hard work, but it pays dividends.
Whether it’s leading your firm or growing in your journey of knowing God and making Him known, both take constant effort – work. Fantasy has no place in either pursuit.
What are you working on?
Copyright ©2009 by P. Griffith Lindell
Monday, December 28, 2009
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2 comments:
I'm working on being more like Christ. I understand that sounds like the typical Christian comment, but it is what I work on all the time. Now I know that I cannot know the mind of the Lord but I also know from 1 Cor. 2:16 that I have the mind of Christ. Now isn't that interesting, I have His mind but will never fully understand and know His mind, at least not to instruct him as the verse says. But to have the mind of Christ is a worthy thing to strive for. The more I know of Him the more I want to be like Him. Also, the more I know Him the more challenging it is. I see my deficiencies and wonder how He could love me so much.
Now getting back to an incorporating this with my work. I see that I must be diligent in my work, to be responsible to my obligations of family and making enough to bless others. It is like tilling the soil today for better results tomorrow. The drudgery of work that does not produce anything today is rewarded when the production is finally seen in a pay check. Now we were all taught the law of diminishing returns in grade school. We know the yield is dependent on the work and fertilizer applied but to a certain point that will eventually work against you if you apply too much fertilizer you will actually kill the crop. So we must take some time off to refresh ourselves as well as the soil.
Our life's work is like our life in Christ. A constant adjusting of learning and applying what we have learned. Balancing our daily lives with our work and our daily lives in Christ. Striving as we are obligated to be in the world but balancing that with not being so caught up with the obligations that we become more like the world than like Christ.
Right now I am so enjoying a Bible study with men I respect and enjoy being with. As I learn more and grow more I must be guarded that I do something with that learning and growing in knowledge and apply that to my walk with Christ and in this world. I can easily just keep learning and enjoying the Word so much, but it is worthless if it does not change the things I do. So that is what I am working on. I go to work almost every day but I take some time off to refresh and enjoy the benefits of the work. And I think that is what Christ would have me do, both in my spiritual work (walk with Him) and my physical work to be in the world but not of it.
Be blessed Griff
How to Change a Man
by Timothy McAuliffe
After God created all the earth all the
elements started to fight and argue.
The sun would say he was strongest the wind
would then argue that he was strongest.
The wind then suggested a challenge.
The wind seeing a man walking said who ever
could get that man to take off his coat
would be the strongest.
The sun said I would take that challenge.
The wind went first and tried to blow the
coat off the man.
The man held his coat tightly and ran to a
building. The wind was blown out.
The sun said now watch me.
The man came outside the sun beamed warmth
on the man. The man then took off his coat
placed it on the ground under a tree and
took a nap.
Now we see it doesn't take a lot of wind to
change a man just some warmth.
I hope this will show the Mind of God's Great Mercy.
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