Get on Your Hobby Horse!

 Hobby Horse-interesting term.  Sometimes we think of a child's riding toy that consists of a long stick with an imitation horse's head on one end.

 

Britophiles, or anglophiles in love with British culture, might recognize a hobby horse as a costume, a figure of a horse worn attached to the waist of a dancer.  They are particularly associated with May Day celebrations in England.

 

In its entomology, the term morphed first into a designation for a favorite hobby.  From there it degenerated into a more negative connotation.  Most of us would think of the term in association with someone who frequently brings up or dwells on the same topic, a topic that borders on a fixation.

 

So while camped out in 2 Peter the other day, I was surprised to see Peter unashamedly on a hobby horse.

 

¹² Therefore, I will always remind you about these things-even though you already know them and are standing firm in the truth you have been taught. ¹³ And it is only right that I should keep on reminding you as long as I live. ¹⁴ For our Lord Jesus Christ has shown me that I must soon leave this earthly life, ¹⁵ so I will work hard to make sure you always remember these things after I am gone.

 

Peter understood that there were certain things that should continually be remembered-things so critical that if we lose sight of them, it will be detrimental to our walk, our witness, our life.  So he kept declaring those truths.  He climbed on his hobby horse and preached, taught it again.

 

It dawned on me as I read how critical a leadership principle this is.  There are certain things that leaders know are vital to advancing the mission, certain things that keep you moving forward, certain things that keep you focused.

 

Hobby Horses-fixations we keep coming back to that define us as leaders.

 

Here are mine.

• It's all about the relationship with Christ.
• The word always communicates with power and relevancy.
• Prayer is vital.
• Loving others is the environment of all ministry.
• Always expect God to show up and show off.
• Relationships, Relationships, Relationships

What are yours, the hobby horses that define you, your leadership?

 

Climb back on.

 

The Man in the Window

 

A Reminder of What it's All About.

 I've begun to camp for a while in 2 Peter.  Peter is at least considering the possibility that he may not be around much longer (1:15), and he's writing some final challenging thoughts to those he has led to the Forgiver.  He wants to be sure they don't stumble after he's gone, especially with the rise of so many false teachers.

So he makes some pretty incredible statements in chapter one.

• Through our knowledge of God and Jesus, grace and peace are possible.  V. 2
• Everything we need for life and godliness come through that same knowledge. Vv. 3-4
• So make every effort to keep adding to what we have, what we are. V. 5
• "Add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love."  V 5-7

Then something in verse 8 leaps off the page at me, something that had never registered before, something that resonated with my heart as a leader.  "For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive. . ."

 

If those qualities, those attributes are on the increase in my life, it's a guarantee that I will not be ineffective, unproductive.

 

Wow.

 

An answer for the great fear every leader has, that somehow we won't make a difference, that we will just spin our wheels, that our lives wont' count for the kingdom.

 

Peter is so convinced of this truth that he restates to his readers.

Beginning in verse 10, "for if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

 

He then justifies nagging them about it.

13 I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, 14 because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.

 

Peter's last message is on the effective, productive life.  Be ever increasing in faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love.

 

Leaders know - it's always been about character.

 

The man in the window

Thanksgiving in the Age of the Pursuit of Stuff!!

Black Friday is over!  In the light of stories like this, maybe we need to reevaluate our weekend.

 

Twenty Injured After Woman Uses Pepper Spray on Black Friday Crowd

Published November 25, 2011

FoxNews.com

 

LOS ANGELES -  A mother of three shot pepper spray to keep shoppers from grabbing a video game system she wanted during a Black Friday sale, leaving 20 people with minor injuries, authorities said.

 

The incident occurred shortly after 10:20 p.m. Thursday in a crowded Los Angeles-area Walmart as shoppers hungry for deals were let inside the store.  Police said the suspect shot the pepper spray when the coverings over the item she wanted were removed.  "Somehow she was trying to use it to gain an upper hand," police Lt. Abel Parga told The Associated Press early Friday.  He said she was apparently after an Xbox 360 and used the pepper spray to keep other shoppers at bay.

The store remained open and those not affected by the pepper spray continued shopping.

 

The Associated Press contributed reporting to this story.

 

True Thanksgiving--discover it again this weekend.  One day wasn't enough.

Psalm 100

A psalm. For giving grateful praise.

¹ Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. 
 ² Worship the LORD with gladness; 
   come before him with joyful songs. 
³ Know that the LORD is God. 
   It is he who made us, and we are his; 
   we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving 
   and his courts with praise; 
   give thanks to him and praise his name. 
⁵ For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; 
   his faithfulness continues through all generations.

 

Take the Lead-Give thanks!

 

The Man in the Window

Bruce D. Rzengota
Norwalk Alliance Church

-- To follow Jesus is to learn to move with God.