January 23 Will We Be Who We Were or Who We Want To Become?

As leader of your family, organization or company, choices can be tough. There is no doubt about it. Some of the most difficult times in our life are entangled into those moments of choice. But to be the leader we are called to be, requires us to act.

What will we choose to be regarding the choices placed in front of us this day and this year? Will we look back over the year and see that we were deceitful or insightful, encouraging, or unengaged? Will we have listened more or talked more?

If you were to ask your team which of these you exhibited in the last year, how would they respond to the question? Be, is an action word and that fits into the role of the leader. As a leader we recognize that we have faults.

We will make decisions that will upon review, appear to have not maximized value. The mistakes of the past do not define us. Looking backwards to who you have been does not determine who you will be. Unless, that is, if we do not choose to be something better. Talk about a serious choice.

That might be the most important choice we have. Shall we remain the leader we were or become the leader we can be? The day is before us, what will you be today and who will you be three years from now?

As Christians, we are called to be the church, to be the people of Christ. In 1 John 4:14 we read, "Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world." What does Christ call me to be this year? Will I be a witness?

Will I be honest? Will I be listening? Will I be in and among the people of the church? These are important questions because there is power in the action of the being. By placing our attention on these acts of being we might see where God is wanting us to be more.

But instincts trump intentions. Those instincts are not good or bad, they just are. We must do an intervention to be what we are called to be. Being intentional and stopping the old behaviors that keep us from drawing nearer is up to us.

Being who we are to become might just start with our attitude about who we were before we were following Jesus. The attitude will be required to change to be the new person of the church. What is keeping you from being what it is that you are called to be?

What is the first thing that you can do about it today?

Let us pray, Heavenly Father, you are. The words that we read in the Bible have described Jesus as using the words "I am.” We are people who want to know the great I am. We want to know you. But in our world of sin, we fall so short of who you have called us to be.

Send us your Holy Spirit to assist us when we can be more than we are today. Help us to act to be closer to you. Help us to be your witness, to be honest in its simplest form, to be listening to others as well as for you, and to be your church. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen,