June 22. Do Not Throw Rocks.

Leaders, words, and actions can be misinterpreted. Do you relate to that statement? Think back over the last year to where others might not have been on the same page as you with a project or task. When we do not make the correction to the perception immediately it may just get tougher and tougher to change it.

This is very important when it comes to our value proposition. When other individuals’ perceptions are different from the big picture we paint for them, frustration will likely occur. Profits and value delivery will be at risk and resources wasted.

Like an artist painting oil on canvas, the leader has the brush to bring clarity. When we do not achieve clarity in our vision for others the tree we paint might be interpreted as a bush, a flowing plant and at worse a bouquet of dandelions.

Looking back over the last six months, can you identify an event which was a conflict of clarity? Conflicts of clarity are conflicts that occurred when our team members were not working with the same vision.

What are the top five objectives for the next quarter, and will your team have clarity about them? The limit of clarity often rests with the leader. What is the first thing that you can do about clarity in the next seven days?

In Acts 14:11-12 NLT we read the following, "When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in their local dialect, "These men are gods in human form!" They decided that Barnabas was the Greek god Zeus, and that Paul was the god Hermes since he was the chief speaker."'

Paul and Barnabas were misperceived. Eventually they wound up getting stoned as part of this story. As brothers and sisters in Christ we live in a worldly environment. There are distractions and lots of people around. We constantly have a challenge of living according to the love and call of Christ.

Our actions will be perceived by others and sometimes we may not do a very good job of creating clarity just by our actions. Will we live boldly enough that we will use our hearts to find the right words to create clarity?

Where could your actions currently be misperceived in your family, workplace, relationships, or church? Remember this, the strongest muscle of our physical body is the tongue. It alone has more power to influence and move others towards a relationship with Jesus.

What is the first thing that you can do about it in the next seven days?

Let us pray, Heavenly Father, your love and word is true. But our ability to see with clarity is often challenged. Help us to communicate clearly and lovingly to make sure that others receive your true message. Let grace abound today and be with us.

Place your love and guidance in our lives today. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen,