January 17. How Important Is Being First?

Who is up first today? You might not have read this the first thing when you arose from your sleep today. Think back and reflect upon who or what was first on your mind as you started the day. Was it the first meeting that you intended to have?

It might have been your household members or perhaps the loud neighbor in an upstairs apartment. The first person up from rest is the one who gets the day moving and begins the thinking of the day.

The first person out of bed is taking the baton of leadership whether they realized it or not. That person begins in the role of leadership. Leaders need time for themselves but also put energy into thinking about their teams and the value they lead.

We know that leaders must pass the baton among their team members. Does everyone in your household see themselves as a leader when they arise? Everyone gets better when the leader gets better. Everyone is a leader.

That would mean that we all can be improving and finding a way to deliver value to others. I like to think that it is the leaders who think of themselves as the first to move the value proposition. For most people, a healthy mind and body means that they get plenty of rest.

To be the first one to rise implies that the same person is probably the one who needs to be first to bed. So many times, leaders can be sleep deprived which will cause leadership to slip. Perhaps the baton needs to be passed more effectively so that all leaders know their role for the day.

If so, then  all can be rested and ready for peak performance in life and at work. Who is the first person that comes to mind to enhance some self-care leadership?

In the Bible, Mark 1:35 shares a story about Jesus being the first one awake. Everyone else got a later start. We then see that he began to heal people and that the crowds began to come. There was a buzz in the community.

It was not long before he could not go anywhere without the crowd limiting where he might be able to walk to. People wanted to see him so much so that they did extravagant things to get close. But he started early, he brought value. Where might your team need to start a little earlier?

Where do you as leader need to start a little earlier? Do you remember the story of how the men dug a hole through the roof to lower their friend to Jesus to be healed? It comes right after this early start of Jesus in Mark 1.

As brothers and sisters in Christ, when was the last time you made a hole in a roof to do something? As a leader, you know you have something of value to give when people are finding new ways to get to you.

Maybe today we can be a little more creative and think about how to open new introductions to our faith. When we do, I think that others might come running and they will bring their friends with them. For us, what are we so passionate about getting to, that we are finding a new path to get there?

If we are not that excited to find a new path, or to be first, then maybe we do not have that passion yet. What is the first thing you can do about it in the next seven days?

Let us pray, Heavenly Father, thank you for this day. Thank you for the people that we get to share our lives with and the differences that we have. Thank you for helping us to find similarities and ways to worship you together.

Thank you for those that decide to first glorify you, to create a buzz for you, and for those that have decided to live passionately for you. Guide us as we explore our worlds with you. May you be as important in our walk as the air we breathe. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen,