DUH!

Duh! Homer Simpson’s exclamation of dimwittedness has been adopted by a generation of TV viewers. Phrases like, “Well Duh!” and “Duh moments” have crept into our vocabulary. I confess that this morning during my study time I had a mind-rending “Duh moment.”

Hang onto your seat. This is it.

People do not follow worthy causes. People do not follow vision or mission statements. People follow worthy leaders who promote a worthwhile cause.

Pretty profound isn’t. I remember the vision statement craze that rushed through our churches a few years ago. It seemed like every church, no matter how small, how struggling, was wrestling with creating a fresh, vibrant vision statement. Boards sat in meetings clarifying, editing and producing concise proclamations. Sadly for some, if not many, of those churches the exercise produced little fruit. Why?

The reason is people follow worthy leaders, not worthy vision statements. The difference has never been the quality of the vision; the difference has always been the quality of the leader.

People followed the Forgiver. They embraced His teachings because they followed Him.

Look behind you. Are people following? They will if you are a leader.

Slap, Drift, Jerk

On a recent fishing trip in Alaska I was reminded of an important leadership principle. I call it the lesson of the “slap, drift, jerk.” People follow who they trust. Trust is based on the experience and the character of the leader involved. Therefore, people follow the leader with proven character.

Having never before fished for Sockeye Salmon, I found myself faced with a dilemma. I observed that people were fishing for Sockeyes with what appeared to be a “slap, drift and jerk” technique that to me defied every fishing practice and skill I had ever learned.

Slap about 12’ of line out into the current with a 1oz. weight and a bead and a hook rigged to it. Let the weight ‘drift’ down stream as it swings on your line. At the bottom of the swing ‘jerk’ the tackle up and slap it down again.

Slap, Drift, Jerk
Slap, Drift, Jerk
Slap, Drift, Jerk

The friend I was with is an experienced fisherman, but I’m no slouch. BUT he was an experienced Alaskan fisherman and guide. So my choice was this. Do it my way, experiment with trial and error, or trust the “Alaskan fisherman.”

Leaders should always remember others will follow and trust our leadership because we have developed a measure of proven character. The more proven our character, the greater the perseverance of our followers.

When we started our first morning of ‘Slap, Drift, Jerk” fishing the salmon were elusive. But I trusted in the proven character of my guide, my friend, so I kept up the ‘Slap, Drift, Jerk’ and waited for the results.

We limited out.

Do you want others to trust your leadership? Let your character be proven.

The Watermelon Dilemma

How good is seedless watermelon? I admit that I’ve had a few that were pretty tasty. I’ve never done a side by side comparison, but seedless melons get at least a B+ in my book.

But seedless melons have led to an unusual consequence for me. Whenever I approach a platter of watermelon at a social setting, a BBQ or a picnic, I look for the seedless melon. Even if the variety being served is not seedless, I look for the pieces with the fewest seeds. There are always a few. Usually cut from the “heel” or the “”bowl” end of the melon. While those pieces have fewer seeds, they are often less flavorful—often a little “rhinny” in taste. The best pieces in a standard melon are cut from the middle, teeming with rows of imbedded black seeds. But the advent of seedless melons has taught me I can avoid seeds and still have watermelon.

What an allegory for our lives. We want the sweetest things that life offers, and we want them seedless, no obstacles, no work required. If something we desire seems like it will take too much work or effort, we look for a way around the seeds.
C. S. Lewis said, “We are too easily pleased.”

Perhaps we lose in our quest for a seedless watermelon life?
James said, “Consider it a sheer gift, friends when you encounter challenges, obstacles and watermelon seeds (my paraphrase).

Pass the watermelon.

Lifeline

All spiritual disciplines must breathe in the relationship with the Forgiver. Otherwise all they become are workouts in the gym of religious exercises.

Fasting is about mourning Him.
Prayer is about communing with Him.
Worship is about celebrating Him.
Baptism is about uniting with Him.
Study is about knowing Him.
Communion is about remembering Him.
Service is about honoring Him.

Too often we have trumpeted the discipline a part from Him. No wonder for so many engaging in spiritual disciplines is an empty undesirable chore.

Talking with my wife is never a chore. Dating her is never a task. Honoring her with acts of honor or service are not disciplines. They are simply a part of the romance of being married to her.

Perhaps we should see spiritual disciplines as the avenues of the Dance of Romance with the Savior.

“But I have been loved by people who know Jesus. And I don’t know that there is any greater love than the love from those who have been touched by the Messiah.”1

1 Donald Miller, Searching for God Knows What (Thomas Nelson, October 13, 2004), p. 212.