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Changing The Planet One Small Act At A Time

The joy, happiness and transformation that results from acts of generosity are felt by the giver…the receiver…and beyond. The small acts of generosity make the biggest impact when compounded over time with many people.

I may not be able to change the whole world, but I am able to make a small impact here and there that have ripple effects that I will probably never see.

Too often, people choose to isolate, look the other way, and distance themselves from the very real needs they encounter.

I get it…
The needs are always there…
You can’t fix everything you see…

But as God is a generative God, and He dwells within us…we are being transformed by His presence into His likeness which means that I am growing in generosity.

A friend sent me the following video…about 2 minutes in I teared up. Take a look, and may your heart grow in generosity.

 

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Franciscan Benediction

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gray-quotation-marks-mdMay God bless us with discomfort at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships, so that we may live deep within our hearts.

May God bless us with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that we may work for justice, freedom, and peace.

May God bless us with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, hunger, and war, so that we may reach out our hands to comfort them and turn their pain into joy.

And may God bless us with enough foolishness to believe that we can make a difference in this world, so that we can do what others claim cannot be done, to bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor.

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Don’t Govern, Lead

In his book Master Leaders, George Barna has compiled a great collection of leadership principles from thirty noted leaders. One area I resonated with was the differentiation between leadership and governance. The way you approach your leadership will greatly determine the success and growth of the thing you lead. Concerning this concept, Master Leaders notes:

masterleader_3d-2“You see a leader is the person who pursues noble goals with such intensity that others are drawn to those goals. Leadership is taking people where they are not already going. It is about redefining the possible…I have come to understand that leadership is different from governance. Governance is the process whereby minimums are established. In government, the law is passed, and it sets the minimum threshold for activity. If you don’t exceed that threshold, you are the subject of impositions and mandates. Leadership is different from governance because it doesn’t establish the lowest and least that is acceptable, but it inspires people to their highest and best. Whereas governance operates on the basis of mandates, imposition, punishment, and things like that, leadership operates on the basis of models. The outcome of governance is the establishment of a floor. The outcome of leadership is people operating at their highest and best.

This really comes down to a difference between managing and inspiring. The manager will always manage lower level outcomes whereas the one who inspires can see the impossible become reality.

Management focuses on rules, regulations and status quo, and receives exactly that. The one who inspires focuses on potentiality and shattering the status quo.

The difference can also be seen in the kinds of questions these two leaders ask: The manager asks, “How do “I” maintain control and get a task accomplished with the least amount of trouble?” The visionary leader asks, “What have “we” never tried before?”

Managers tend to focus on self, Visionaries/inspirers focus on the team. Both are needed, but an organization with a manager in the lead role will limit it’s potential.

Great leadership is about connecting people to each other and a preferred future that is worthy of pursuit.

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Faith, Courage and Conviction

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Great words by MLK. Most people want to see the whole picture with complete clarity before they commit to stepping out and taking initiative. I understand. There are so many things that can go wrong. There are so many complexities. There are huge potential pitfalls lurking in the unknown.

But, when we fail to take action, we never experience the taste of a dream kissing reality.

Fear cements our feet to the ground…

Doubt is a fog shrouding our hearts’ desire…

Uncertainty keeps us in neutral…

I have found that God rarely reveals more than the first step. If He were to reveal more, then we would not need faith, and faith is where our lives intertwine with God.

I have not prayed for clarity for a long time, instead there are a couple other things I pray for when faith is the clarion call in the dark hours of sleepless nights.

Courage is what I pray for first. Courage to activate my faith and take action. God responds to our faith-filled action every time.

Conviction is the other key character trait I pray for. When faith kisses courage and conviction, things happen…God moves…we find ourselves riding a wave powered by God’s Spirit.

So, if you are feeling like a styrofoam cup being tossed about by the wind, its time to choose faith and pray for courage and conviction and be ready for God to move.