on the walk

Gary Haugen (CEO of IJM) had so much good stuff to say that I have a couple more posts in response to his session.
After calling us to consider the values and interests of Jesus, he began to focus on leadership.

One of the quotes that made it into my notes was, “Leadership precisely matters when the task is hopeless, scary and hard.” I have continued to reflect on that text. I confess that too often I want to lead in situations that are hopeful, safe, and easy. But Gary is right, that my leadership doesn’t matter then.

It is when the task seems hopeless, that a leader is needed to trust in God. It is when the road ahead is dangerous that people will need a guide to be brave. It is when a task is hard that a leader is needed who will never give up. “People,” he said, “will do the hopeful, safe easy tings on their own.”

I am not a very strong leader. (I have other gifts so don’t worry that I am beating myself up. I am just being self-aware.) But I am called to lead. Gary’s teaching reminds me that if I can’t lead everywhere, and I can’t lead well or much, then I must prioritize the areas in which I exercise my leadership.

I was thinking about this last night. I invested no energy in getting my kids to eat their cake. I focused my energy on getting them to eat chicken and carrots. In the same way from simple perspective of time management it doesn’t make sense for me to spend my limited leadership resources where they are are not needed. And where they are needed is at precisely that place where the task is “hopeless, scary and hard.”

That is where I must lead.

Which means…

that is where…

I must go.

That was the central confronting truth of his message. If my leadership is needed there, then I must be there. I cannot pretend that I happen to be the one whose leadership is desperately needed in safe, easy places. Because leadership isn’t needed in those places. I realize that I often fail to lead in difficult situations because I fail to show up.

What about you? Are your leadership energies focusing on the areas that are easy or those where leadership is really needed. Are you showing up in the places where God needs leaders?

on the walk

-Ethan

(Just to whet your appetite, I have at least one more idea from Gary Haugen that I want to share. The central quote is “Jesus didn’t come to make you safe, he came to make you brave.” Good stuff indeed.)

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