Catalyst: Session One
What do you do when you realize you are the most powerful person in the room? That is the question Andy Stanley asked in the first session at Catalyst. The answer is: wrap a towel around your waist and wash feet. And I love the response of his disciples: they were stunned by his humility! What a great reminder: the more power you have the more humble you need to be!
One of lessons I've been learning is that nothing is more dangerous than praise from people. You have two options when people praise you: the praise can turn into pride or you can take the praise from people and praise God. And how you handle the praise will make you or break you.
If we are following the example of Jesus, we need to leverage our power for others not ourselves! And that isn't a sign of weakness. It's a sign of strength. Insecure leaders leverage their power for themselves!
So here is the question leaders need to ask themselves: how can I leverage my power for the other people in this room?
One of lessons I've been learning is that nothing is more dangerous than praise from people. You have two options when people praise you: the praise can turn into pride or you can take the praise from people and praise God. And how you handle the praise will make you or break you.
If we are following the example of Jesus, we need to leverage our power for others not ourselves! And that isn't a sign of weakness. It's a sign of strength. Insecure leaders leverage their power for themselves!
So here is the question leaders need to ask themselves: how can I leverage my power for the other people in this room?
7 Comments:
A great comment I heard from Dick Foth,
"Submission speaks up. Authority bends down and washes feet."
If we are truly living in submission to authority, then we have the freedom to speak out and be heard. If we are truly in authority, then we have the freedom to bend down and wash feet and serve. Wow!
That is so cool. Please keep updating us on the topics! It's great to know what's going on from far away...
"What do you do when you realize you are the most powerful person in the room?"
Oh my- someone's on an ego trip. How could anyone think they are the most powerful person in a room???
...Bernie
www.sciligion.org
When you are the one preaching and speaking in front of people you are the most powerful person in the room. All eyes are on you. Influence is power, we have the power to influence for the Kingdom of God.
It is not about ego Bernie. This is where you totally miss the point and have taken something way out of context. When you are the person as a leader or manager or a pastor making a desicion you are the most powerful person in the room.
The question is what will you do with that power? Will you be led by God to be that influence and serve.
Please be careful not to take something out of context Bernie.
excellent excellent question. I will have to think about it...I guess there are many ways to leverage power for the good of other people in the room. bring them closer to God, lift them up, encourage them, inspire them to be the best they can be, etc. leaders have the power to make their followers better followers, or leaders of a rebellion. power is given to serve, and servant leaders teach others to imitate them.
Awesome observation Mark!
The problem I run into is that when others praise me, it neither inflates my ego or gives glory to God. I've had this habit of shrugging off praise. When someone tries to give me praise, I marginalize it with some kind of excuse. Instead, I should turn it into praise for God.
Man, that one speaks to me. Andy is always on, isn't he? I was very close to going to Catalyst this year, but it just didn't work out. I look forward to experiencing it vicariously through you.
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