Editor: Richard (Dick) Innes
Published by: ACTS International
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Vol. 11 – No. 3009 July 25, 2009
Thought for the week: "If you are guided by opinion polls, you are not practicing leadership—you are practicing followship." – Margaret Thatcher
"An idealist believes the short run doesn't count. A cynic believes the long run doesn't matter. A realist believes that what is done or left undone in the short run determines the long run." – Sydney J. Harris
"Your behavior is what you believe; all the rest is just talk." – From Mickey's Funnies www.mickeysFunnies.com
"Maturity is the ability to do a job whether or not you are supervised, to carry money without spending it, and to bear an injustice without wanting to get even." – Ann Landers
"It is when we face ourselves and face Christ, that we are lost in wonder, love and praise. We need to rediscover the almost lost discipline of self-examination; and then a re-awakened sense of sin will beget a re-awakened sense of wonder." – Andrew Murray
"Bigness comes from doing many small things well. Individually, they are not very dramatic transactions. Together, though, they add up." – Edward S. Finkelstein
"Adversity causes some men to break; others to break records." – William A. Ward
As a young electronics graduate many years ago, I remember unpacking a new oscilloscope, the latest and best of its class. Several hours later, having only achieved mixed results, I decided to open the manual. The first page stated in large bold letters: "Now you've tried it your way, try it our way."1
One of the biggest areas of conflict in today's church is the music—be it hymns or choruses, traditional or modern—but this is not
new. The story is told that a young boy complained to his father that most
of the church hymns were boring and old-fashioned, with tiresome tunes and
words that meant little to his generation. His father challenged him with
these words: "If you think you can write better hymns, why don't you?"
The boy accepted the challenge, went to his room and wrote his first hymn.
The year was 1690, and the young man was Isaac Watts. Among his 350 hymns
are "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" and "Joy to the World."
When I started as a young leader, I thought that a leader could change people; and did I ever work at it. I said, "All right, I'm going to give them thoughts, ideas, and principles; and I'm going to change people!"
After several years, I awakened to the thought that the only person who can change himself or herself is—himself or herself. You can change yourself, but I cannot change you. You see, I am responsible to you [as the leader], but I am not responsible for you; and there is a world of difference between those two. I am responsible for teaching you good leadership, I am responsible for sharing things that can help add value to your working life; but you are the only one who can take responsibility to change yourself.
Dr. John C. Maxwell, http://www.johnmaxwell.com/
Cited on Thought for Today by Ray Lammie. Sad to say, after many years courageously battling cancer, Ray passed away earlier this week. We extend our sincere sympathies to Ray's family and friends. He will be sorely missed by many.
Take a look around. Business, education, politics. If there's one thing we don't have enough of, it's good leaders—men and women who have the vision and ability to change things for the better.
Former Air Force general William Cohen wrote a fine book called The Stuff of Heroes in which he identified eight laws of leadership:
1. Maintain absolute integrity.
2. Know your stuff.
3. Declare your expectations.
4. Show uncommon commitment.
5. Expect positive results.
6. Take care of your people.
7. Put duty before self.
8. Get out in front.
His laws embrace important competencies like knowledge, communication skills, commitment, optimism, caring, and a powerful sense of duty. But General Cohen also recognized that the foundation of a successful leader is character, including trustworthiness, honor, and courage.
The best leaders draw on these moral qualities to influence others through inspiration, persuasion, trust, and loyalty. They do the right thing despite the costs and risks. They do it, not because it will yield approval or advantage, but because it's the right thing.
In these cynical times, it's easy to think such leadership is unattainable; yet in every walk of life there are countless men and women—parents, teachers, coaches, civic activists—who fit this mold. What's more important, every one of us could be among them.
This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.
"Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him."1
Again today I want to quote Michael Josephson of Character Counts. Speaking about athletes he said the following:
"I was leading a discussion with former elite athletes when someone asked about the ethics of trying to intimidate or injure an opponent. 'Football's a physical game,' said a former NFL star, who went on to extol the advantages of intimidation through the infliction of pain. A former Super-Bowler spoke without remorse about 'taking players out' with a particularly dangerous but then legal 'chop block' aimed at the knees.
"When an Olympic track athlete said that, legal or not, it is wrong to be intentional or callous about inflicting possible career-ending injuries, he was ridiculed. 'It's part of the game,' was the response, and a room full of ... men continued to rationalize brutality.
"Another former football player brought the room to silence. A huge man, he barked, 'Hold on,' and held his hand up high. In it was a prosthetic leg. He said his leg was amputated from the knee down due to a chop block. 'Was it worth it?' he asked.
"Applying 'game theory,' athletes not only injure others but permanently damage their own health pumping up with illegal drugs; politicians breed cynicism and distrust with lies and insincerity; and numbers-manipulating executives disgrace themselves and demolish the jobs and retirement accounts of thousands.
"Declaring a tactic 'part of the game' may delude the conscience, but it doesn't justify vicious, disrespectful or dishonorable conduct—no matter how many people are doing it. Life is not a game."2
Thank you, Michael, I couldn't have said it better. Character does count if we want to leave a better world for our children and our children's children. Plus, we always reap what we sow—always—even if it is eventually!
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to always remember that character counts. And please deliver me from the temptation to take any shortcuts that would hurt anybody else in order for any kind of selfish, self-centered, self-gain. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."
1. Proverbs 26:27 (NKJV).
2. This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts. www.charactercounts.org
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Books by Dick Innes, Editor of Weekend Encounter You Can't Fly With a Broken Wing How to Mend a Broken Heart I Hate Witnessing—A Handbook for Effective Christian
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