The Inspired Leader: 101 Biblical Reflections for Becoming a Person of Influence (16 page)

REFLECT FOR A MOMENT

1. Take a moment and list characteristics of your day that are unique in history. Prayerfully ask the Lord why He chose to put you in the family, city, nation, and time in history that He did. What purpose did God have for placing you on the earth at such a time as this?
   

2. Make a list of the technologies and opportunities unique to your day that could be used to advance God’s kingdom. Today’s Christians have means at their disposal to spread the Gospel that earlier believers did not have. What tools has God made available to you and your company that could be used uniquely for God’s purposes?
   

3. Are you carefully observing your world? How do you stay informed of world events? Do you know where Christianity is advancing in the world to-day? Do you know where Christianity is under attack (especially in your own country)? What might you do to become better informed about the spiritual condition of the world in which you live?
   

Clyde Lear

Former Chairman, CEO, and Founder (now retired),

Learfield Communications, Inc.

You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? ...You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden… Let your light so shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

MATTHEW 5:13-16 (ESV)

RECENTLY I WAS riding with one of our sales executives in Indianapolis. As he drove us between calls, I engaged him about his personal life: recent college grad, did sales for a minor league team, then joined Learfield; loves his work.

“Have a girlfriend?”
I inquired.

“I’m living with a lady now,” he said.

So I pushed him gingerly, “any intentions of buying a ring soon?”

To which he stammered: “Nah, I don’t think so. I just don’t—you know—think she’s—you know—the girl for me.”

I didn’t think I’d earned the right just yet to play the Jesus card, so instead I offered something more secular, “Well, that’s interesting, but I gotta tell you that I think what you’re doing isn’t the gentlemanly thing to do. In the first place it isn’t fair to her if you’re leading her on, is it? Moreover, my friend, the bottom line is that she’s only a sexual convenience. Am I right?”

It was quiet, really quiet, for a while until we got to the next call. On the way back to the office, I offered up Jesus in a way he could understand, “I tell you these truths only because I care about you. Please know I’m not judging and what we’ve discussed today will have nothing to do with your work here. You’re such a wonderful young man and I care very much. That’s all. The God of the universe loves you so much and wants the very best for you. And, so do I.”

A week later the lad called me and told me he’d moved out.

Our companies are platforms for Jesus. We should use them as such. We need to boldly proclaim God’s truth at every opportunity. Yet, we must be sensitive to the hearer and respect where he is spiritually. Otherwise we risk alienation. Being insensitive to others is offensive, ineffective and isn’t of Jesus.

People desire truth in their lives. Yet they won’t listen to their parents; “friends” give credence and usually encouragement to errant decisions; most employers refrain entirely from getting involved in the personnel lives of their staff.

As Chairman of my company I think I’ve earned the right to boldly engage people. I can be most effective when I judge each circumstance, pray about it, hear His instructions, and then ACT. Rarely is inaction the Lord’s methodology.

REFLECT FOR A MOMENT

1. Your workplace is your platform. How have you been using it?
   

2. Encounters you have with people throughout your day may in fact be divinely orchestrated. Reflect on the people you have talked with this week. Could any of those meetings have been opportunities for God to work through you?
   

3. If you are uncomfortable speaking about matters of faith with people you meet at work, consider taking a class or seminar on sharing your faith. You may be missing some amazing opportunities.
   

Jeff D. Reeter

Managing Partner, The Texas Financial Group, LP

IN EXODUS 15:3 Moses leads the Israelites in singing, “
The Lord is a warrior, Yahweh is his name”
(NLV).
This insight into God’s nature was born out of Moses’ abiding relationship with God in which honest communication flowed. This was not just a concept he thought about; this was an experience he lived.

One summer at our ranch in Washington County, Texas, we had a group of young men working in what we call Warrior Weeks. These young men (college and high school age) would rise early in the morning, have a daily quiet time to feed their intimate, personal relationship with Jesus, work up to nine hours a day in the Texas summer heat, and memorize Scripture throughout the day. These athletes lift weights, drink protein shakes, hog and varmint hunt at night, and have the time of their lives. Throughout their bunkhouse are poster boards with Scripture and “iron sharpens iron” words of encouragement.

The Warrior Weeks (W
2
) program was first inspired by Scripture that jumped off the page of a daily quiet time. The Scripture is found in Joel 3.

Say to the nation: Get ready for war! Train up your BEST warriors. Let all your fighting men advance for attack. Hammer your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Train even your weak ones to be warriors.

Our world needs more warriors. What does becoming a warrior mean to you? What are we doing to prepare ourselves for battle? So much that is happening in our world today suggests that the conflict is between good and evil, the visible and the invisible, truth and lies, the way of the Lord and the way of the world, life in the fast lane, and journeying on His road less traveled.

Joel 2 describes a keen vision of God’s army.

They charge like warriors; they scale walls like soldiers. They all march inline, not swerving from their course. They do not jostle each other; each marches straight ahead… they move forward without breaking rank… The LORD thunders at the head of his arm… and mighty is the army that obeys his command.

I’m convinced that men and women in leadership positions who are following Christ can better join together in pursuit of battle worthiness, becoming warriors alongside the Greatest Warrior of all. Our quiet times must be more authentic and life transforming. We must hide God’s word in our hearts that we may obey Him. We must connect with each other in an “iron sharpens iron” environment where walking in the light and in the truth and being real are courageously happening. We must model to our world a work life similar to that of Moses, Joseph, David, Daniel, Esther, and others who learned to abide in their relationship with God and to repent whenever they acted independently of Him. Let us passionately pursue life as a warrior, set apart, distinctive, moving forth in His calling and power and thus being available for Him to work through us as He sees fit.

REFLECT FOR A MOMENT

1. Have you ever viewed yourself as a spiritual “warrior”? How might God want to use your life in that way?
   

2. Are you presently prepared for the spiritual battles you may face? Have you been defeated recently in spiritual conflicts? If so, how?
   

3. How do you tend to view God? Have you seen Him as a warrior? If not, how might that viewpoint of God help you as you enter the marketplace?
   

EVERYONE EXPERIENCES STORMS in their lives. We cannot prevent them. We can only prepare for them. The 12 disciples had just experienced the greatest accomplishment of their lives thus far. With only a handful of loaves and fishes, Jesus had fed 5,000 men and their families. The disciples were exhausted after dispersing the ample food to the crowd and then collecting 12 baskets of leftovers. This was one of the most astounding miracles in history. Wearily they climbed into a boat and set out across the Sea of Galilee for a much needed respite. Then the storm struck. While they were exhausted, defenseless, and unprepared, the wind and waves viciously assaulted them. So fierce was the storm that even the seasoned fishermen feared for their lives.

Suddenly Jesus appeared. And, as He always did, He had the exact words to speak that changed everything. “
Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid”
(Mark 6:50). Be of good cheer? They were about to die! How can anyone be happy in the midst of a life-threatening storm? Jesus affirmed several important truths that apply in any crisis. First, He claimed there was no reason to fear, even when facing a life-threatening circumstance. Second, they could have joy, even though everything seemed to be going against them. Why? Because Christ was
with
them. As long as Jesus was present, every resource of heaven was available to them. How could they not be courageous and joyful in light of that reality?

As you go to work each week, storms will inevitably arise. Some you can foresee, others will catch you by surprise. The one constant will be Christ’s presence with you. Do you know how to experience heavenly joy even in the midst of life’s fiercest storms?