- 1 Kings 3: 5, 7-12
- Psalms 119: 57, 72, 76-77, 127-128, 129-130
- Romans 8: 28-30
- Matthew 13: 44-52
- Servant leadership
- Mcdonnell Douglas used to have a slogan "McDonnell Douglas, a company of leaders." to emphasize that every employee, regardless of their formal title, was called upon to provide guidance, leadership, and help to others on the teams that we served in.
- Who are some of the phenomenal leaders that you have worked with? When I say "worked with", I'm thinking "labored along side of, to create something new out of something old."
- Do you ever try to emulate them?
- If you were going to be more intentional about that emulation, where would you start?
- I see your point ...
- My father-in-law is currently recovering in the hospital from heart surgery. He's on the mend, but for awhile there, he was uncomfortable in several dozen ways, and I tried to think what it would be like to be in that bed, all of the tubes, the constant interruptions to your sleep, utter lack of cheese burgers, ... and it occurred to me that what I would want most from those in the room with me would be empathy.
- Think of some time when you reached out to someone in real need. What was the hardest part about that outreach?
- How did that connection change them?
- How did it change you?
- How might you have done better in that situation?
- The family resemblance is striking ...
- You tell someone that you have known for some years that you are a practicing Catholic. And then, who knows why, you ask them to tell you what they conclude about the nature of the God that you worship from what they see in you.
- What would the first characteristic that they might mention?
- Is that what you really want to convey about God from your life?
- How then should you live?
- I can tell that the hand of God rests upon you because ...
- Historically, people have used various means to tell whether God favors someone. Good health, great stock portfolio, even beauty have all been thought to indicate the favor of God on a person. What would you say marks someone who is particularly close to God?
- What does that tell you about God's values?
- What does that tell you about your values?
- What am I doing to become more wise?
- How am I meeting those in need in my life?
- How am I fulfilling my destiny?
- How much do I treasure my relationship with Jesus?
Two-edged sword
A young man dreamed a dream, both terrible and real.
In the dream, incense filled the room, and God himself stood before him.
God asked "from deep in your heart of hearts, what do you want most?"
A thousand things came to mind: the admiration of his coworkers,
Success in all of his business dealings, even the love of his wife and children.
But what he finally settled on was wisdom, remembering Soloman.
"Done!" said the voice. Then, ominously, "Maybe you should have thought a little harder."
The man woke up the next morning and wondered about the dream.
Went to work as was his usual, thinking about what he remembered.
Getting coffee that morning, it occurred to him to wonder how that coffee got there.
He looked up the brand and found that the native farmers who grew the beans
Were remorselessly exploited until they died of overwork and malnutrition.
Just then, a fellow employee, who had been a thorn in the man's side
Came rushing in with some new objection to the way a project was going.
The man invited him in, asked him to sit down, asked what the problem was.
Along the way he heard more than just a simple office issue, but deep pain.
Finally he asked how his colleague was, and found that the other's wife was dying
And that this colleague felt so alone and frightened.
Later, in a meeting, during a discussion that had raged for weeks, the man asked innocently,
Why he could not remember anyone bringing input from Marketing to the discussion.
The room fell silent, finally someone said "everyone knows that would just slow things down."
And so it went. Finally, exhausted, the man got home to his family, and he immediately saw,
That his wife was exhausted as well. Without a word, he began to address what needed doing,
Promising himself that he would relax over his customary beer a little later.
Dinner served, the blessing said, his wife looked at him over the heads of their children and asked
"How was your day dear?" Thinking back on all of the strange thoughts and occurrences he said
"I've never felt more alive, challenged, and aware in my life. I don't know what's happened."
That night, in another dream, the room filled with incense again, this time the voice said
"So, what do you think of wisdom as a gift? Would you recommend it to your friends?"
The man replied "making decisions is so much harder than it used to be."
"The pain of others is so much more apparent. The consequences of what I do and say,
They are all painfully obvious where before I never stopped to wonder, to question.
Life is so much harder this way. I hardly know what to do with myself anymore."
"Sounds like a good day to me." Said the voice. "Care to go another round?"
"I need help living this way. If I were to pray for just one more gift,
So that I could make better use of this wisdom that you've given me. What would that be?"
A deep chuckle resonated through the room. "It would give me joy to give this to you.
Just say the word and it's yours. But if you think wisdom is tough,
This next gift is even more challenging."
"And what would that be?" The man asked with a tremor in his voice.
"Humility"
Shalom!
In the dream, incense filled the room, and God himself stood before him.
God asked "from deep in your heart of hearts, what do you want most?"
A thousand things came to mind: the admiration of his coworkers,
Success in all of his business dealings, even the love of his wife and children.
But what he finally settled on was wisdom, remembering Soloman.
"Done!" said the voice. Then, ominously, "Maybe you should have thought a little harder."
The man woke up the next morning and wondered about the dream.
Went to work as was his usual, thinking about what he remembered.
Getting coffee that morning, it occurred to him to wonder how that coffee got there.
He looked up the brand and found that the native farmers who grew the beans
Were remorselessly exploited until they died of overwork and malnutrition.
Just then, a fellow employee, who had been a thorn in the man's side
Came rushing in with some new objection to the way a project was going.
The man invited him in, asked him to sit down, asked what the problem was.
Along the way he heard more than just a simple office issue, but deep pain.
Finally he asked how his colleague was, and found that the other's wife was dying
And that this colleague felt so alone and frightened.
Later, in a meeting, during a discussion that had raged for weeks, the man asked innocently,
Why he could not remember anyone bringing input from Marketing to the discussion.
The room fell silent, finally someone said "everyone knows that would just slow things down."
And so it went. Finally, exhausted, the man got home to his family, and he immediately saw,
That his wife was exhausted as well. Without a word, he began to address what needed doing,
Promising himself that he would relax over his customary beer a little later.
Dinner served, the blessing said, his wife looked at him over the heads of their children and asked
"How was your day dear?" Thinking back on all of the strange thoughts and occurrences he said
"I've never felt more alive, challenged, and aware in my life. I don't know what's happened."
That night, in another dream, the room filled with incense again, this time the voice said
"So, what do you think of wisdom as a gift? Would you recommend it to your friends?"
The man replied "making decisions is so much harder than it used to be."
"The pain of others is so much more apparent. The consequences of what I do and say,
They are all painfully obvious where before I never stopped to wonder, to question.
Life is so much harder this way. I hardly know what to do with myself anymore."
"Sounds like a good day to me." Said the voice. "Care to go another round?"
"I need help living this way. If I were to pray for just one more gift,
So that I could make better use of this wisdom that you've given me. What would that be?"
A deep chuckle resonated through the room. "It would give me joy to give this to you.
Just say the word and it's yours. But if you think wisdom is tough,
This next gift is even more challenging."
"And what would that be?" The man asked with a tremor in his voice.
"Humility"
Shalom!
