Prov 15:23
23 A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!
KJV
Have you ever noticed that, when you need a good word, there is often someone there to deliver it for you. This is truly divine intervention. I have spent a couple days in a funk; nothing great, just a bit of a fog. And now, in due season, I received a couple of words that have stirred up my spirit. The first, was from a wonderful lady who still calls me pastor. I got to find up what was going on in her and her husband’s life. They are two of the most beautiful people you’d ever want to meet. It did me good to trade emails with her.
The second was this post from Mark Johnston. Pastor Johnston is an incredible preacher and, if you don’t subscribe to his blog, I would highly recommend it.
Indeed, a word spoken in due season is good!
I know of folks who want to be in leadership. Let me check that- I know folks who want a title and aren’t really hip on the idea of leadership. Being a leader and having a title are soooo not the same thing. Titles can be awarded (for heaven’s sake, Mick Jagger is a knight) but being a leader requires making decisions that will not always be popular.
We had a lousy fund raising year in Sunday School this year. Maybe it’s the economy. Maybe folks are tired of me. I don’t know but the fund raising was lousy. As a result of this, we get to tighten our belts. Taking away perks and programs that have always existed is not the way to win friends and influence people. However, being a leader demands that you lookout for the whole of your organization and not just the squeaky wheels. I could become immensely popular with a small but vocal faction but dropping a lot of money on one particular program. In the process, I would hamstring my organization and cripple our ability to do what we are charged with doing. So, you endure the slings and arrows because you are leading, not participating in a popularity contest.
The question is asked, would you rather be loved or respected? I don’t think it’s an either or but I’ll take respect every time. Even if it means fewer Christmas cards.
