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32 - RELATIONAL LEADERSHIP

Writer's picture: David LutesDavid Lutes

1 Thessalonians 2:11-12b


11 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.


Woven into the tone of this portion is Paul’s total devotion to helping people learn, grow and improve; to live morally and ethically and to believe in themselves and a better future that they can help create.  No doubt, as with all parent-child struggles, things did not always go well or ‘to plan’, but the father’s heart will remain true and constant. The Father’s heart is forever toward us, for us, not against us! 


He has invested His life, Himself in us.  He entered into our hearts and lives and speaks to us daily, in secret whispers or by circumstance, in victory and defeat …“I will not let you go. The work I have begun in you, I WILL complete! There is nothing you can do, or not do, that will affect my total, unconditional acceptance of you and my love for you.”


If this is our own testimony, our own experience, then the fullness of that Father’s Heart and life in us WILL overflow from within and touch those around us.  We can say with confidence to those whom we manage and lead that we believe in their worth and their value and that we are committed to them and will invest in them.  The fruit and evidence of being in the place, of having that knowledge in our hearts (that God loves us so totally and unconditionally) is not limited just to actions in the workplace – though this obviously helps and is crucial. The unseen, supernatural, but nevertheless real and powerful ‘activity’ that accompanies us, can ripple through the organization like a storm of blessing. 


People may not be able to explain it – probably not – but the ‘urging’ of the Holy Spirit makes the Father’s voice and call to others through us very, very real.  Add to this, practical investment in training and opportunity to reach full potential - then for sure, the Father’s WILL become real and known.


PRAYER ACTION

I praise you my God, the Father of my Lord! You are my compassionate Father and the God of all comfort.  You comfort me in all my troubles, so that I can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort I receive from You. For just as I share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also the comfort I can show others overflows to them through your Son.

(2 Corinthians 1:3-5)


“Never make a management decision based on how it affects your income … always do what’s best for your people! Never be more concerned about your paycheck – be more concerned about their growth and their income.” (Art Williams – Pushing Up People)


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