October 27. The Importance Of Our Stand.

As leaders, we have many roles and activities we take on. Small or large, they all can be important. None may be more important than the ability to take a stand that represents the value of our organization. Without a basic set of ground rules, chaos is likely.

When we have taken our role as leader seriously and developed our ground rules, we can find a space where we can take a stand. Think of your stand like an observation deck built over your life’s activities. As you climb on top of the stand you notice that it is about a five yard or meter square landing.

Once you have taken a stand, you can move in a direction left and right. You can move forward or backwards. You can move in any direction from the stand and stay aligned. Because the stand can be seen by you and the team, all are more likely to stay aligned.

Often, we might find ourselves without value when we have abandoned our stand. Our stand never leaves us even when we are moving left and right or up and down. It might seem counter intuitive that your stand is still present even when we are in motion on the ground.

But the stand is always erect and ready for us to take an observation from. Once you make a stand it is us who move away from it. When our stand is no longer solidly under our feet, we can be attracted to other stands thinking that they might be more useful or valuable.

But other stands are just that, someone’s and not yours. As a leader we are accountable to create the stand. We may certainly use our team to help shape and build it, but we must be willing to stand on it one hundred percent.

If one of the legs of the stand is built by someone else without your full confidence and endorsement, how high would you be willing to climb up it? Where can you improve your stand this week?

Brothers and sisters in Christ, are you sitting down? We are called to take the news standing up, with our feet planted firmly on our stand. I have heard many times in movies, and in real conversation people using the phrase, “You better sit down for this.” But on Christ's sacrifice we stand.

It is when we stand with Christ that we transform hate, violence, and evil. When we sit with our feet hanging from a chair, our knees to our hips form our laps. But our laps disappear and no longer exist when we stand. Transformation happens just that simply.

But just because it is simple does not mean that it is easy to stand sometimes. The weight of the world seems to press us down and even hold us down, but that is when our minds are no longer on Christ. Paul tells the Colossians to watch out for our ability to drift.

The drift is subtle and seemingly harmless as it comes across you in your life. But the drift cannot move those that take a stand. We read Jesus’ words, “Jesus said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand in front of everyone.”” Mark 3:3 NLT.

The winds can howl, the earth can shake, and people can come and go. But we remember that Christ can calm the storm. He can relieve the pain and heal the hand. Perhaps this week we can begin the day by starting with the focus on our stand. Are you willing to be accountable to take the stand? What is the first step you can take?

Let us pray, Heavenly Father, your strength is unmeasurable. When we stand with you, we get the assurance of leaning with you. Our shoulders lean in and lean on your strength. Guide us today and allow us to feel your strength within us.

Be with those that are missing their strength and do not know you. Send your Holy Spirit to be with those who are ready to take a stand with you for the first time. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen