The Inspired Leader: 101 Biblical Reflections for Becoming a Person of Influence (32 page)

BILL CLINTON SERVED as president of the United States between January 20, 1993, and January 20, 2001. Clinton was the first Democratic president to win back-to-back elections since Franklin Roosevelt had done so in the 1930s. Clinton was generally popular and left the White House with an impressive 65% approval rating. This was due in part to the economic prosperity the nation enjoyed during his tenure, evidenced by Congress passing a balanced budget in several years during Clinton’s presidency. But there was also a dark side to Clinton. During 1995-1996, the nation became familiar with the name of Monica Lewinsky, a White House intern who became sexually involved with the president. Rumors began to swirl of other women with whom the president had acted inappropriately as well. It appeared that, despite his intelligence and political talents, Clinton had an adulterous attraction to women.

In November 2009, the media disclosed that the revered golfing legend Tiger Woods had been committing adultery. Despite being married, with two children, and regularly promoting himself as a wholesome family man, this revelation exposed the dark side of Woods. Over the next several weeks, Wood’s life unraveled before the watching eyes of millions of people around the world. Numerous other women began stepping forward to admit that they, too, had committed adultery with Woods. Woods’ wife eventually divorced him, and his golf game plummeted.

In 2001, Yale University Press published a scholarly book with the provocative title,
Why Smart People Can Be So Stupid.
The book explored how brilliant individuals could rise to the top of their field and beat out thousands of competitors, but then self-destruct by making wildly reckless and foolish decisions with their lives.

Scripture is filled with wise counsel on how we can work closely with people of the opposite sex without succumbing to temptation. Notice what it says:
“I have made a covenant with my eyes; why then would I look upon a young woman?”
(Job 31:1) Job understood that temptation would always be available, but he wisely chose to prevent sexual sin from entering his heart by not looking in a lustful way at women. The Psalmist invited God to regularly search his heart to ensure no deception or lust or greed had entered therein (Psalm 139:23-24). We can be sure that the Holy Spirit will be quick to find our secret sins, if we will invite Him to search us. Lustful actions result from lustful looking. That is why the psalmist prayed, “
Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in your way”
(Psalm 119:37). That is the power of media. It is impossible to watch hours of television and movies that glorify adultery and fornication without it affecting you. The antidote for sinful actions is godly thinking. David claimed, “
I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved”
(Psalm 16:8).

As you go to work, you will encounter extremely diverse people. Some are promiscuously looking for their next victim. Some are unhappy with their marriage and they can make your life unhappy too. What begins as a simple flirtation, or office teasing, can quickly deteriorate into something far more sinister. No one can protect your heart for you. Guard yours well. There is much at stake if you don’t.

REFLECT FOR A MOMENT

1. What actions do you regularly take to guard yourself from compromising situations with people of the opposite sex? Do you think you have adequate safeguards in place to protect you from sexual sin? If you don’t, what additional protection could you put in place, soon?
   

2. Are you inadvertently allowing sinful thoughts to fill your mind through the television, movies, music, and books you allow in your life? Your thinking will affect your actions. What further steps might you take to keep your thoughts pure?
   

3. Do you make a regular habit of inviting the Holy Spirit to search your heart and mind for anything that is unclean? Take some time this week to invite the Holy Spirit to do so. Spend time in God’s word and let the Spirit help you identify areas of weakness or danger in your life.
   

ON AUGUST 8, 1914, Captain Earnest Shackleton began his quest to be the first person to travel across the continent of Antarctica. Over 5,000 men had applied to join his crew. Shackleton had previously been knighted
by King Edward VII for his attempt to be the first person to reach the South Pole. He had made it to within 112 miles before being forced to return to his ship. This time, however, he was determined to succeed. Unfortunately, on January 19, 1915, Shackleton’s ship, the
Endurance,
became entrapped in ice and was carried along with the ice flow. The crew remained imprisoned aboard ship until October when the vessel began taking on water and had to be abandoned. For several months the crew camped on an ice floe. When it began to break up, they set out in three small lifeboats 346 miles to Elephant Island. The weather on this desolate island was formidable and well outside shipping routes from which help might come. Finally Shackleton decided to sail for a whaling station located over 800 miles away. Taking four companions with him, they sailed for fifteen days on open seas, braving hurricane force winds that could capsize them in an instant. Landing on South Georgia Island, Shackleton then hiked 32 miles across a mountain range to get to a whaling station. He quickly made arrangements to rescue his crew, eventually bringing every man back to safety. Shackleton’s exploits and efforts to save his crew became legendary.

When Jesus came to earth, His heavenly Father gave Him 12 disciples. For the next three years, Jesus walked with those men. He traveled with them, ate meals with them, taught and cared for them. Near the end of Jesus’ life, He prayed to his Father and gave an account of His relationship with those twelve friends. He declared, “
While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition that the Scripture might be fulfilled”
(John 17:12).

Jesus saw His relationships as a divine stewardship. He knew that the world would seek to destroy his friends and rob them of God’s best (John 17:14-16). In response, Jesus sought to bring God’s word to bear on their lives and to walk with them in such a manner that they remained true to their faith. As a result, Jesus came to the end of his life and claimed that none, but the traitor Judas, had fallen away. And, for the remainder of their lives, none of the 11 would abandon their relationship to Christ.

Have you ever considered the reason God placed the friends He did in your life? God has a purpose for everything He does. What did He wish to infuse into your friends’ lives when He placed you into a relationship with them? What was it God intended to do in your life by giving you the friends He did? At times we can treat our friendships selfishly, relating to people solely on the basis of what they do for us. Yet it may be that, for people to experience everything God intends for them,
we
must play a role. Perhaps God intends for you to encourage a friend during a trying time in his life. Maybe you are to intercede when your friend faces temptation. Perhaps God desires for you to inspire your friend to strive for God’s best in her life. How tragic for you to have friends who are discouraged and failing while you do nothing to come to their aid. If you were to give an account to God for the stewardship of your friendships, what would you say? Have you walked with each friend until they experienced God’s purpose for their life?

REFLECT FOR A MOMENT

1. Take an inventory of your closest friends. How are they doing? Are they struggling or prospering? How are their marriages and children doing? How is their walk with God? What might God do through your life to be a further encouragement to them?
   

2. Have you had friends who fell by the wayside? Have they experienced divorce or bankruptcy or broken relationships? Have they dropped out of church? Could it be that God placed you in their life for such a time as this? What might God want you to do to help them in their difficult time?
   

3. Do you receive more from your friends than you give? Do you view your friendships based on what others do for you? If so, take time with the Lord to let Him show you how to invest in your friends’ lives. God can lead you to live your life in such a way that the people around you become better for having been your friend.
   

Tom Starnes

Chairman and CEO, Inflexis

IT'S RELATIVELY EASY for me to share my faith at work these days. I run a small, privately held company where the executives are believers. But that was not the case earlier in my career when I worked for a few Fortune 500 and even Fortune 50 companies. There was never any discussion of faith at work—either around the conference table or the water cooler. If there were believers in these firms, I didn’t know them and I didn’t know how to live my faith in the workplace. It took years of study, practice and a supportive boss who loved Jesus, for me to learn ways to do this.

A good friend of mine, Dave Ramos, after graduating from Harvard Business School, ran global marketing for Nortel. Earlier in his career he had been in the top 1% of salespeople at IBM. He studied ways to make an impact in large public companies without “crossing the line” of evangelism and now runs his own consulting business called The Dashboard Group. He has developed an approach of integrating his faith in the marketplace that most of us can use. It’s good for business, and for the Kingdom. Below I have extracted seven major points from a course Dave designed called,
Jesus: The Ultimate People Developer
and have added my own perspective to each point.
The core concept is to develop people in the same manner in which Jesus worked with Peter.

1. Jesus affirmed Peter. He affirmed him not for his accomplishments, which would be substantial, but for his potential. And, He did it publicly. Tell people you believe in their abilities.
   

2. Jesus blessed Peter…abundantly. We all have ways we can do this. There’s the typical salary, bonus, and stock but there are also less expensive, more personal options such as buying a book for someone and writing a note of encouragement in the cover jacket.
   

3. Jesus asked Peter to do things Peter didn’t think were possible. You’ve probably heard the saying, “If you want to walk on water, you’ve got to get out of the boat.” Ask employees to push beyond their normal aspirations. I should add that in studies done by Harvard Business School, only one common success factor of senior managers has been identified…consistently high expectations of the organization.
   

4. Jesus disciplined Peter. He did this in love. If you correct an employee and they know you did it because you care about them, not only will they appreciate your concern, others will take notice. People are drawn to honesty, sincerity, and kindness. If you can demonstrate these qualities, many others will want to work for and with you.
   

5. Jesus empowered Peter. In fact, Jesus told Peter He would give him the keys to the power of heaven. It’s frustrating to have responsibility without authority. Give your managers authority and they will do their best to prove they have earned your trust.
   

6. Jesus favored Peter. This one is a little tricky but it’s a biblical concept. Peter was one of “the few” and was given extra time with Jesus. Not all your employees will go the extra mile. Find the ones who will and put your “extra mile” into their development.
   

7. Jesus prayed for Peter. He prayed before selecting him as a disciple and that Peter’s strength would not fail. You can pray for your employees. And, if you’re doing the first six, you’re probably going to have opportunities to pray
   with
   a few people.