Lead with Compassion

Rom 12:1 CPDV And so, I beg you, brothers, by the mercy of God, that you offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, with the subservience of your mind.

In Paul's style of introducing Christian believers to how they should conduct themselves in their daily living, he starts by begging them to offer their bodies as a living sacrifice to God. Doesn't it appear odd to you? I must confess, it took me a while after reading this verse over and over again to see this truth. I also understand that because of our different biblical leanings, we might see it differently, so I will explain. 

I will start by asking you when last you heard a sermon in church begging you to live up to your status as a believer or a message about eternity that admonished you to keep standing in Christ and the preacher was practically begging you to make it your top priority. I am almost certain that if Paul the Apostle were to be preaching this verse as a sermon in the church in Rome, he would most likely be on his knees urging them while also showing them the importance. 

How would you feel seeing your Pastor on his knees begging you to do God's will, not his personal standard or obligations, but to live indeed as Christians during his sermon? I am so sure even if you forget the topic that day, the graphics of the message won't be lost. Instead what is common is using the fear of hell to make believers live right. 

I also personally believe there is a leadership principle we can learn here. It's not all the time commanding and ordering people because they are "under" us and we are their leaders or superiors so we dole out commandments for them. Many times this doesn't work because people have a mind of their own and what is in their heart to do is really what they will eventually do, it doesn't matter what you say. Maybe you have not realised, the reason why anyone will follow you headlong is most likely because of their paycheck or favour they have received or will receive from you.

The whole essence of my story today is to make you realize there is another way to get people do what you want them to do without forcing or raising your voice. Maybe it's time you considered urging them instead as an alternative to shouting that has not proved to be effective. Whenever I try to correct someone and this person still goes ahead to do the wrong thing the next time, I like to believe I probably didn't pass my message well to this person and try to be better next time.

I know it's not culturally a norm for a senior to plead with their juniors to get a task done, the usual mentality is to use the age difference as a point to get them to work, but you will soon realise with your own relationship with your seniors that it doesn't always work well. Next time you want to reach out to someone to get something done, instead of going through the bossy route, try a more compassionate way and make them see reasons with you.

Seeing The Other Side

"I know the LORD has given you this land," she told them. "We are all afraid of you. Everyone is living in terror. For we have heard how the LORD made a dry path for you through the Red Sea when you left Egypt. And we know what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River, whose people you completely destroyed. No wonder our hearts have melted in fear! No one has the courage to fight after hearing such things. For the LORD your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below. Joshua 2:9-11. NLT

The story of the twelve spies Moses sent to the Promised Land is quite popular and the reports they brought back even more so. Even though God’s word had gone ahead promising them the land, the majority came back with factual, evident-based report; the land was good and the people strong and big, for added effect, they even described how they must have seemed small in the eyes of the inhabitants. The minority report on the other hand did not dispute the facts but they chose to believe God and his abilities more than the evidences before them. Of course, the majority had their way and they died in the wilderness.

Then years later, we get a rare view of the other side, a peep into the mind and the thinking of the inhabitants of the land. ‘We are all afraid of you, everyone is living in terror’, what a huge shock, oh what missed opportunity. If only the ten spies had heard these themselves, they would have marched immediately; instead they died unsung. Joshua and Caleb (minority reporters) had always known the truth though; God was busy behind the scene preparing the way for them, moving mountains for them.

How so much like today, where physical evidence is taken over and above God’s word. Just because we cannot see the other side, we are tempted to walk by sight. Beloved, there is more to it than the facts, God is still at work in the situation and all He asks of you is to believe Him. They might indeed be giants but in their hearts, they are terrified. Hold on to God’s word, he will come through for you. That sickness is not unto death, don’t give up; the marriage will be restored, don’t despair; your breakthrough will come, just hang in there. He that has promised is able to accomplish it.

Even when you can‘t see him, he is working, even when you can’t feel him he is working; he never stops working for you. Shalom.