Seen vs Unseen

Imagine you were buying a car. I tend to look at the exterior, the shiny body, the seats and the feel I get when I sit inside. All that I see. But what really counts? Isn’t it more the nuts and bolts that exist deep within the engine, state of the clutch or condition of the cam-belt?

The unseen becomes seen. That’s the point! The state of those unseen elements eventually become seen. When that clutch stops working or that cam-belt snaps all that exterior stuff is useless.

You could come over to my place and see my nice neat home and have dinner with my wife and I. We could have a laugh and enjoy great conversation and possibly the picture you leave with is one of a healthy successful marriage. But what really counts? The condition of my heart toward her and hers toward me. That stuff that exists deep down in our lives will become seen, it will present itself!

Given this, does it not make sense to work rather with the unseen? It’s almost obvious, but in many ways we tend to avoid it. Why?

I’ve always been fascinated by the story of the Israelites who were rescued from slavery in Egypt and called to the ‘promised land’. A heap of them end up dying after 40 years of wandering in the desert, never actually getting there. They got used to their routine in the desert. They were provided for each day and protected from the elements. It was safe. The promised land was unseen and they almost seemed to think that getting there was impossible. After the 12 spies returned their fears were reinforced - how would they get there with such giants of men and strong cities to overcome? It was illogical. It involved risk. It was unknown.

To deal with the matters of my heart at times feels incredibly risky and the unknown keeps me covering up and pretending that everything is ok. I try and make sure that everything is seen to be ok... and the unseen continues to fester.

The Israelites eventually changed direction under Joshua’s leadership. Interesting that he was one of the twelve spies who came back and said this is possible! Why - because he knew that nothing he saw was greater than his God! Which makes me think - could my fear of the unseen be because of my lack of trust in God to work into those areas?

We have a God who loves us unconditionally. He sends his Son to die for our sins and make us righteous. Because of his death we have direct access to our God much like a son or daughter has to their father no matter who he is. God restored us to him. That’s what He is about. Restoration. Which means then, that if it means that we have to deal with the unseen in order to restore that God is in fact in it.

We are not alone.

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Travis Gale has spent the last 5 years running his own development business in South Africa’s corporate world and is currently involved in various long term partnerships with clients across a number of industries. Furthermore he has travelled to conferences internationally hunting down latest trends and insights. Having cycled around the world and survived a tsunami, his passion for crossing borders often lends itself to an interesting blend of stories and insight. He sees himself as a ‘change catalyst’ and displays strength in facilitating insight into the right spaces. Find out more at www.appletreelive.com

Powerfully Unique

I was doing a workshop last week, and met a lady who through the exercise we were doing discovered that she had a very strong gift of helping others reach their potential.

What a great gift to have! Many leaders strive to be effective in this area, and would be thrilled to learn they have this skill.

Interestingly, she did not feel this way! She sat back in her chair, crossed her arms and shook her head. She did not believe it. In her mind there is no way she could have this skill. When I challenged her on this she told me she knew someone who was extremely gifted in this area, and she was nothing like them!

How often do we do this as leaders? God has placed unique gifting and talents inside of us to make a difference in peoples' lives, but so often we doubt and discard them because we compare with others.

This reminded me of the story of David. The Bible tells us that David was a man after God's own heart.

He was a shepherd boy.

But, he was also a giant killer!

We know the story. David hears about Goliath and wants to kill him for coming against the army of the Living God. We read in 1 Samuel 17 v 33-40:

33 Saul replied, "You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth."

34 But David said to Saul, "Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, 35 I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. 36 Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. 37 The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine."
Saul said to David, "Go, and the LORD be with you."

38 Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. 39 David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them.
"I cannot go in these," he said to Saul, "because I am not used to them." So he took them off. 40 Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd's bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.

David knew who God was and who God had made him to be... Powerfully unique! There was the temptation for David to conform to how other warriors had fought powerful enemies, to try copy their tactics and use their weapons. But he responded differently, he was true to himself and used what God had put in his hand.

What has God put in your hands as a leader that is powerfully unique? Are you trusting in who God has made you to be, or are you comparing to others?

Are you disqualifying yourself because of a comparison you are making with another persons giftings?

The word tells us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. We are powerfully unique. Imagine if we had to believe in and celebrate that uniqueness and lead others out of who God has made us to be?

May you gain great excitement and courage as you look at what you have in your hands and know that you can accomplish great things.

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Don Muller has spent the last 4 years working into corporate and church leadership development and training both locally and internationally. He has a passion for and works towards seeing individuals live out their strengths and calling daily.

Social Media: React or Engage?

I think the social media revolution is intriguing, and to be honest I find myself getting pretty addicted! But what I find so interesting is that we can follow the trends and thought patterns of so many interesting people.

However, the other day I read a thought on Twitter that kind of knocked me …

I was shocked ...

Offended ...

This pretty well known South African personality had written a tweet that to me as a Christ follower was offensive!

My initial reaction was to take a stand!

Write some strong words back to him!

Or even hit him with a more powerful blow… “UNFOLLOW” him on Twitter!

Religious anger was rising up within me.

But …

I felt challenged. Is this how we as Christ followers should react to such situations? Should I get offended and counter react with harsh words, or should I engage and learn.
You see, as Christ followers and leaders we often hold truths and tools to help others follow a better way. But all too often we see others following a way that we know is destructive, or is offensive to our way, and instead of engaging we attack or withdraw.

In thinking about this I was reminded of a story, of someone who always showed a better way…

“Then Jesus entered and walked through Jericho. There was a man there, his name Zacchaeus, the head tax man and quite rich. He wanted desperately to see Jesus, but the crowd was in his way—he was a short man and couldn’t see over the crowd. So he ran on ahead and climbed up in a sycamore tree so he could see Jesus when he came by. When Jesus got to the tree, he looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, hurry down. Today is my day to be a guest in your home.” Zacchaeus scrambled out of the tree, hardly believing his good luck, delighted to take Jesus home with him. Everyone who saw the incident was indignant and grumped, “What business does he have getting cozy with this crook?” Zacchaeus just stood there, a little stunned. He stammered apologetically, “Master, I give away half my income to the poor—and if I’m caught cheating, I pay four times the damages.” Jesus said, “Today is salvation day in this home! Here he is: Zacchaeus, son of Abraham!”” (Luke 19:1-10)

Here was an offensive man, and you know what is fascinating, he was DESPERATE to see Jesus!

I wonder how many of those we find offensive are actually desperate for truth, to be shown a better way.

Jesus is inspiring here. He is truth, and he engages with Zaccaeus. He makes His truth and love personal. He does not judge or rebuke, he engages in an extremely warm and loving act.

When we get offended by those we are called to love and lead, how are we going to act?

Are we going to get indignant and grumpy?

Or are we going to engage?

I’m going to read my Bible in my one hand and my Twitter account in the other, because they need to meet!

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Don Muller has spent the last 4 years working into corporate and church leadership development and training both locally and internationally. He has a passion for and works towards seeing individuals live out their strengths and calling daily.

Consider Yourself Rebellious?

I am currently preparing a teaching on the book of Hebrews. The author of this book is unknown, but what we do know is that is was a letter written to a group of Jewish converts to Christianity. These new Christians were fully aware of the persecution that was imminent due to their decision. Leaving Judaism meant leaving traditions which their entire society was built around, laws, synagogue commitments, prayer commitments, dietary requirements etc... They hadn’t just left a belief system, they had changed their way of life. They were persecuted.

They were rebels...

Hebrews tells us that they would endure anything from public humiliation, public beatings, jail time and confiscation of all their possessions. The temptation was to return to their old ways, to their religion (Judaism) to avoid being persecuted.

The author encourages them to continue to be confident and hold unswervingly onto their hope. He takes 13 chapters to do that in what was a committed attempt underpinned by a deep desire to keep these readers from doing a 180 degree turn. One of his points, in particular, interested me.

The author makes mention (Hebrews 3) of the time that the Israelites spent in the desert. If you remember they were enslaved by the Egyptians. Moses was the hero who went in and did the extraction! Having left Egypt their destination was a land of milk and honey promised to them by God, aptly named the promised land. To get there they had to cross the desert, know as the Sinai today and into modern day Israel. 40 years later, Moses and his entire generation who left Egypt died in the desert, having simply wandered around in circles never to enter into the promised land. Their desert life was routine. God provided food and water daily, as well as a pillar of fire by night and a cloud by day to protect them. They had food, water and shelter. They were comfortable and protected. At one point Moses sends 12 spies to find out what getting into the promised land actually meant. 10 came back saying impossible! The tribes they would have to overcome were made up of monstrous men.

The desert - safe, comfortable, routine and predictable.

Journey to promised land - unknown, risky, adventurous, challenging.

They chose the former. The author of Hebrews refers to a passage of scripture found in psalm 95 where he states the Lord who refers to this time in the desert as the time of the rebellion!

They were rebels...

Two different perspectives! Society labeled the converted Jews as rebellious for leaving the traditions and comforts of Judaism and living a life of risk and potential persecution.

God frustratingly labeled the Israelites who stuck to comfort, tradition and religious mindsets rebellious. Maybe that’s why it is aptly called the Christian faith?

Consider yourself rebellious?

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Travis Gale has spent the last 5 years running his own development business in South Africa’s corporate world and is currently involved in various long term partnerships with clients across a number of industries. Furthermore he has travelled to conferences internationally hunting down latest trends and insights. Having cycled around the world and survived a tsunami, his passion for crossing borders often lends itself to an interesting blend of stories and insight. He sees himself as a ‘change catalyst’ and displays strength in facilitating insight into the right spaces. Find out more at www.appletreelive.com