Answering the Call

I was reading in a military history journal [1] this last week and came across this amazing story. I was reminded of what leaders do.

January 15, 1777, in Fort Edward N.Y a tavern owner named Henry Francisco enlisted in the Continental Army. He went on to fight through the Saratoga campaign before he was discharged for medical reasons on April 20, 1778. Attached to Colonel Seth Warner's famed Green Mountain Boys regiment, Francisco saw action in the Battles of Hubbardton, Bennington, Freeman's Farm and ultimately at Bemis Heights. What was so unusual about this volunteer? He was 91 years old at the time of his enlistment.


The story is recorded that at the battle of Bennington a Captain Stafford sought to remove an old man of slender build with a slight stooped framed from the line before assaulting the redoubt [2]. Not desiring to be relegated to merely guarding the baggage, the old man came forward and addressed the captain and politely objected. "Not until I've had a shot at them first, Captain, if you please." His reply sparked a riotous cheer leading the Captain to send the men and the elderly warrior forward to the redoubt.


Francisco, an old warrior, refusing to be sidelined from the battle, inspired those around him when he answered the call.


Abraham was 100.
Moses was 80.
I'm turning 52.

As leaders, no matter what our age, may we answer the call in such a way, that our refusal to be sidelined spurs on those around us. Amen!

What Does it Mean to be a Man of God?

Does it mean that I claim His name? Does it mean that my allegiance belongs to Him; that I bear the title Christ- follower, believer, Christian? What does it mean to be a man of God?


Does it mean that I rule my life in ways that avoid the moral pit falls and snares of this world? Does it mean that holiness is a battle I strive to win? Does it mean that I work at the development of "God" character, the fruit of the Spirit, in my life? What does it mean?


Does it mean that I force-feed my spirit the Word of God? Does it mean that I strive to make prayer happen interwoven into my busy schedule? What does it mean?

Does it mean that I labor intensely for the sake of the Kingdom? Relentlessly working, reaching out to the hurting, counseling the struggling, leading the willing, seeking the lost? What does it mean?


It may mean all of these things. In fact my life may often be defined by these things, but does it mean I'm a man of God?

Maybe,....

Or maybe a man of God is one who walks in grace so real, fellowship so close, communion so deep, spirit so broken, awe so inspiring, worship so lifted, that who we are becoming is like who God is.

Then the title becomes character.
Holiness a trait, not a goal.
The Word indwelt, not just studied.
Prayer a life stream, not a scheduled appointment.
Kingdom advancement an undeniable consequence, not just the focus of my striving.

What does it mean to be a man of God?


Lord, help me to be such a man.

Chasing after other gods

I was reading in Hosea. It is always a fascinating book for me to read. Who names a girl Gomer? Who marries a prostitute and expects faithfulness? Who names their children "not my people," "no mercy", "no love"? I have often said, "thank you Lord you didn't call me to be Hosea."

In the midst of this book I was hammered by a statement, a charge God brings against the people of Israel. Hos 6:10 says, "My people have defiled themselves by chasing after other gods." Chasing after other gods-at first the statement just rolled by, then my brain tripped over the truth. It was very easy for me as a leader to chase after other gods. As I sat in the window in the coffee house, I saw clearly how easy it was for me to chase after gods.

There are no temples in my yard, no idols in my home, no false festivals on my calendar, yet I saw all the ways I so easily chased after false gods.

I saw how easy it is to replace "Christ in me the hope of Glory" for "hard work by me the hope of glory." And that was only the first of many false gods I could so easily chase. Others included "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength" with "I can do all things"; "You shall have no other gods before me" with "you shall no other gods before me except for rest, recreation and pleasure";
"Meditate on my words day and night" with meditate on the words of Ed Young, George Barna, Crawford Loritts, Reggie McNeal and Andy Stanley"; "without faith it is impossible to please God" with "without faith in coaching, PowerPoint's, blackberry, social networking and websites it's impossible to please God."
It was so easy to chase after other things than Him.

In the same book Hosea wrote. "Oh that we might know the Lord. Let us press on to know Him."

What are you chasing after today? As a leader. As a man or woman of God. What are you chasing? Have other gods become more pressing than pressing on to know Him? Let it not be said of us that we "exchanged the Glory of God for the disgrace of idols[1]" even the modern ones.

Sharp Edges

I love my landscaping and flower beds. I love how they look when they are neatly mulched, weeded and trimmed. But I have learned unless I maintain the edging on my beds they begin to look sloppy and loose their appeal. So on a semi-regular basis I have to focus on the edging. Whether it's a hand edger, spade, or edging attachment on a Mantis, edging takes work. It takes time and is tedious. Long before I'm finished with it, I'm tired of it. But when the work is done, the beds look so much better.


It hit me the other day how much my life was like a landscape bed. Sometimes when it is neatly trimmed, and well weeded, the fruit of the Spirit is very evident. But more often than I'd like to admit, the evidence of weeds, those fleshly fruit, have emerged. I'm testy here, a little lazy there, less than gentle, self control wavers. What I've discovered is that during those times, the edges of my life need tending. The lines that define who I am as a follower, as a leader become ragged. There is a real need to focus on the edging.

So I get back to the hard work of fasting, prayer, devotion. It feels tedious. Long before I'm finished I'm tempted to quit, but when the work is done, when the investment is made, the shape of my life looks so much better. How are the edges of your life as a leader? Are the lines that define you sharp and clean, or have they been neglected for awhile? Is it time for you dig in and focus on the basic things that define us as followers? If you are like me, from time to time it's a necessary discipline in keeping the edges clean.

Missing the Connection

Sometimes as a leader it can be easy to take in the details and miss the point of what is occurring.

I had a ticking sound in my left front wheel that accelerated when I accelerated and slowed when I slowed. Three different times I took the vehicle to a mechanic near the coffeehouse. They pulled the hub cap, the wheel, checked the seals, the bearings the brake and found nothing. They put everything back together and the next day the noise was back. Again the vehicle was dropped off for service and again everything was checked. Nothing was found.

This time the noise didn't return-for a few days. Then it was back. Tick tick tick tick .

A third time in the shop. A third look at all the details. Finally the connection is made! A small piece of plastic on the hubcap was broken. As the wheel had turned it would come loose and rattle in the wind.

Observed the detail, yet failed to see the implication. No connection made.

I was reading of just such an instance in John chapter 20 this morning. Peter and the "other disciple" raced to the empty tomb to see for themselves the evidence Mary Magdalene had reported to them. Entering in they saw the linen cloth lying there. The cloth that covered Jesus face was folded and set to the side. Then it says that at least John (the other disciple) makes the connection. It says "he saw and he believed-for until then they hadn't realized that the Scriptures said he would rise from the dead." (John 20:8b,9)

Looking back in hindsight John says that that was the moment he believed. I'm sure he did believe that Jesus was not there, that he was risen, but the connection hadn't been made yet. Why do I think this? Verse 10 says, "Then they went home." They have just seen evidence of the most incredible event since creation, the God-man was risen from the dead. The Forgiver was alive. So they went home.

Amazing some connection is made, but no change takes place. They just go home.

How receptive is your heart as a leader to the little ticks, the indications of His workings in your life? Are you recognizing His hand at work? Are you making the connections to the big things that He is doing in your midst, your ministry, your work, your heart. Or do you have a tendency to see Him at work and then just go home.

Godly leaders see the hand of God continually at work and are changed by it.

Remembering Where You Stand

I was reading a passage the other day that ended up challenging me as a leader. As a staff we read it together and discussed it at our weekly meeting. In Exodus 32, God is ready to slay the stiff necked, rebellious people of God who have been quick to forget His deliverance. Moses has been on the mountain with God, Aaron is the defacto leader, but the mob has begun to grumble and Aaron's solution leads to disaster.

Ex 32:1-5
32:1 When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, "Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don't know what has happened to him."
2 Aaron answered them, "Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me."
3 So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron.
4 He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, "These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt."
5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, "Tomorrow there will be a festival to the LORD."

The affront to Yahweh the Deliverer is more than understandable. Look at his reply.

Ex 32:9-10
9 "I have seen these people," the LORD said to Moses, "and they are a stiff-necked people.
10 Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation."

It is the end of verse 10 that struck me as a leader this time. God offered Moses the equivalent of a new Abrahamic Promise. Moses, give me some time while I wipe out these people and I will start again with you.

Moses knew God's word was true. He had witnessed the power of God in the plagues. Seen His promises of deliverance fulfilled at the Red Sea. Moses knew this promise was his for the asking. He would be the new father of a multitude. Wow!

It is interesting where Moses' heart lies. Without hesitation it becomes clear where Moses stands, with the people he has been called to lead. Though he may have been tempted by the promise of a new beginning, his heart allegiance remains with the stiff-necked people. He intercedes for them.

Where do you stand? Is your allegiance firmly fixed on the people you are called to serve? Or could your heart easily be tempted away to other goals, other glories? When those you serve prove to be stiff-necked, unthankful, is your heart tempted to turn away?

In the worst moment of his tenure as leader of the flock of Israel, when those he leads cavort around the image of a calf his second chair leader, Aaron has created, Moses stood with his people. He was in the place every leader would find himself-standing as intercessor between God and those he serves.

Where do you stand?

Unlikely Proverbs

Proverbs. Sometimes they can be a little difficult to comprehend. I came across some unique proverbs recently. Here are a few from the African Continent:

• A man does not wander far from where his corn is roasting. (Nigeria)
  
• The hunter does not rub himself in oil and lie by the fire to sleep. (Nigeria)
• Even the mightiest eagle comes down to the tree tops to rest. (Uganda)
  
• A ripe melon falls by itself. (Zimbabwe)

According to The Free Dictionary, proverbs are short pithy saying in frequent and widespread use that expresses a basic truth or practical precept. These African proverbs sound foreign to us, but even outside of their culture we can guess at the meaning.

• We're never too far from our roots.
  
• Using Common sense avoids tragedy.
  
• We're all alike in many ways.
  
• Good things come in time.

An entire book of scripture is dedicated to Proverbs, but the other day I was impressed with short pithy sayings not from the hand of Solomon, but from the lips of the Forgiver.

• Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much.
  
• Whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.
  
• If you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?
  
• If you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own?
  
• No servant can serve two masters.
  

Luke 16:10-13

As leaders we don't need to guess at what the Leader was expressing in these proverbs. They are transparent truths revealing the integrity of character in every leader.

• Trustworthy in little things
  
• Honest in the smallest matters
  
• Faithful t in financial matters
  
• Responsible with trusts
  
• Single-mindedly committed to God
  

The Pharisees scoffed at this (Luke 16:14). Do we? Do I?