January 9 Assembling Unique Ability is a Competitive Advantage

As a leader, sometimes we can find our organization in competition with another organization. I remember the long-distance service telephone wars. Companies would call your phone and offer you money to switch your service to them as your carrier.

They had to buy your business. The competition was not focused on providing value but achieving success in the easiest way possible. This does not seem like a viable way to run a value delivery type of business. I have never worked for the telephone industry.

I am curious what the team members were required to do at that time? It seems like all that mattered was gathering new clients and it seemingly was at any cost including paying them. This approach can open the door to abuses and abandonment of some basic core values for the team.

Competition can be won in a different way. How we lead our team and compete can be measured by love by looking for the right fit. Our role is to drive value. Our value does not always need to be called the best value but needs to meet the value of those we serve.

A company like this can win long term by consistently thinking how to increase its value. This type of company tends to be a long-term industry leader when this approach is taken. They might even be thought of by the competition to compete unfairly.

I would not call it unfair but would call it unique. It seemingly comes down to what actions we will or will not provide. Are we looking inward towards our service delivery, team and customers with love, respect, and value? If so, our actions will probably bear witness to it.

Where do you have a unique competitive advantage because of value?

As brothers and sisters in Christ, how do you love someone else on earth and God? To differentiate the two ways, we might think of the feeling of love differently than the actions of love. We read, “But I say, love your enemies! Pray for t hose who persecute you!” Matthew 5:44 NLT.

To be in love with someone might be all about us. I remember the emergent love that occurred while I developed my relationship with my wife. She held my hand and physically, I could feel she loved me.

We even occupied space and time together which made me aware of her love because she was present with me. But could God love us this way? It may be that our love for God is not so much about ourselves as it may be about us. It could be about our actions.

We can exhibit our love of God by acting to show others our love. We may not hold Jesus' hands, but we can hold the hand of our children as we walk them to school. We can hold the hand of the homeless and walk them to a table to serve them dinner.

We can put our arms under others to support them when they are hurting and need assistance. I believe that a big part of our love of God is about actions, our actions. You and I can both be in action towards others in unique ways.

How might you act uniquely today to love God by loving others? What is the first thing that you can do about it in the next seven days?

Let us pray, Heavenly Father, we understand that we do not have your knowledge. We know that you love us because you sent your Son to us and to show us how to relate to you through our roles in this world.

Help us today to be in love with you, to have the confidence to share your love for all through our actions. Touch us as you might. Send the Holy Spirit to guide us today with a step forward even though it might feel like a giant scary leap.

Relieve all our fears except the fear of a world that would be without you. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen,