Initiative and Intentionality
Someone asked me recently for more blogged thoughts on husband leadership in the home.
It occurs to me that while PEGI (see yesterday's reading) is for everyone to pursue, anyone in leadership must pursue it. That means husbands, dads, pastors, care group leaders, moms, children's ministry workers--everyone who leads anyone needs PEGI in their lives.
And as I said yesterday, PEGI begins with being proactive: a "commitment to foresee problems and possibilities and to take initiative to address them with energy."
I don't go a week in my life without applying John Piper's definition of leadership to my varying roles:
This morning--which happens to be my day off--I've been reviewing my leadership roles. This is a common Monday morning exercise for me; it's when I review what needs my followers have, and what I need to do for them and with them the coming week.
Today I've been thinking about one person I'm called to lead: my 13 year old son. He's half way through the eighth grade, which means we have 3 1/2 years of homeschooling left. We've got a 3 1/2 year window of opportunity to build into his life and his mind as many good things as we can.
In evaluating this today, Gayline and I sensed that we have some hard work to do to seize the moment for David. We have to plan, to reorient life a bit, to schedule more time for me to be with him to inspire the young man to nourish not only his body (which he's really good at), but also his mind (which he's not so good at).
So today, we talked over the first steps of a plan, a schedule, an approach (all of which, hopefully, are consistent with "God's means"). We now will continue to pray over it (that's showing our "reliance on God's power"). Next we have to take initiative to get it done (that's leadership).
In fact that's life. Almost nothing good ever happens without this kind of initiatve and intentionality.
All of us lead at least someone. I know some people who don't like the words initiative and intentionality. But folks you're not going to lead that one or two or ten or one hundred people you're called to lead unless you take time to think about what they need and how to serve them better to help them "get to where God wants them to be".
So whoever you are, you need to identify those whom God has called you to serve through leadership. Then think about what they need and take steps to get it done.
And then watch God give you power and grace to lead and live better than you imagined possible!
It occurs to me that while PEGI (see yesterday's reading) is for everyone to pursue, anyone in leadership must pursue it. That means husbands, dads, pastors, care group leaders, moms, children's ministry workers--everyone who leads anyone needs PEGI in their lives.
And as I said yesterday, PEGI begins with being proactive: a "commitment to foresee problems and possibilities and to take initiative to address them with energy."
I don't go a week in my life without applying John Piper's definition of leadership to my varying roles:
"Spiritual leadership is knowing where God wants people to be and taking the initiative to get them there by God's means in reliance on God's power."
This morning--which happens to be my day off--I've been reviewing my leadership roles. This is a common Monday morning exercise for me; it's when I review what needs my followers have, and what I need to do for them and with them the coming week.
Today I've been thinking about one person I'm called to lead: my 13 year old son. He's half way through the eighth grade, which means we have 3 1/2 years of homeschooling left. We've got a 3 1/2 year window of opportunity to build into his life and his mind as many good things as we can.
In evaluating this today, Gayline and I sensed that we have some hard work to do to seize the moment for David. We have to plan, to reorient life a bit, to schedule more time for me to be with him to inspire the young man to nourish not only his body (which he's really good at), but also his mind (which he's not so good at).
So today, we talked over the first steps of a plan, a schedule, an approach (all of which, hopefully, are consistent with "God's means"). We now will continue to pray over it (that's showing our "reliance on God's power"). Next we have to take initiative to get it done (that's leadership).
In fact that's life. Almost nothing good ever happens without this kind of initiatve and intentionality.
All of us lead at least someone. I know some people who don't like the words initiative and intentionality. But folks you're not going to lead that one or two or ten or one hundred people you're called to lead unless you take time to think about what they need and how to serve them better to help them "get to where God wants them to be".
So whoever you are, you need to identify those whom God has called you to serve through leadership. Then think about what they need and take steps to get it done.
And then watch God give you power and grace to lead and live better than you imagined possible!
Labels: christian life, Leadership
posted by Tim Shorey at
10:33 AM
2 Comments:
i cannot believe your 13 year old son is almost 14 and is a high-school freshman...yikes i'm old
lol. btw i think you're "doing" a fine "job" with him...:)
Good thoughts Tim, I would add this, If we are not taking initiative and intentionality to lead our wives and children, then we are intentionally making a choice not to. Failure to "remember" is really "remembering to fail."
Thanks for your thoughts,
JR
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home