Matt's Muzings
To help you think, ponder and reflect on the human side of leadership
March 2008 Volume 10, Issue 85
I am a wimp at heart. When I was about 14 years old I remember going to the hospital to visit the daughter of a distant cousin. She had a brain tumor. I stood there looking at her for a second and all of a sudden the world started spinning. I tried to walk away and the next thing I knew I was on the floor and a nurse was standing over me. I had passed out from seeing the pain of this little girl, hooked up to all the IV's and dying.
For a good portion of my life I have never really been able to handle hospitals
or people suffering. I found myself backing up quickly and wanting to run away at
the thought of talking with someone who was physically hurting.
I thought this was a permanent aspect of my life, something that I would have with
me until I die. You know, one of those fears you just have to manage as best you
can. However, a recent experience tells me something different.
Facing pain...
Our good friends just had a baby. We went down and spent the day in the hospital
with them as they welcomed this little gift into the world. It was a great joy
for us to be there with them. After the baby was born, our friend came to get us
and we went up stairs to see the new mom and their new little girl. While we were
waiting at the elevator, it opened and a man came out in a wheel chair pushed by
a nurse. He was obviously in a lot of pain and had a tracheotomy to breath. I looked at him straight in his eyes and felt no embarrassment or awkwardness. I just felt a strange sense of love and concern for him. We connected as he looked back at me.
I smiled a warm smile to him as he went past me.
My friend, who is a doctor, watched it and said to me after they wheeled the man
past us, "You would make a good doctor." I was taken back for a moment as the reality of what just happened hit me. I said, "It has only been recently that I have been able to do that."
Jesus looked pain right the eyes and didn't hide from it.
I have thought about that man and my friends comment and I realize it is the fruit
of God's work in my life over these last years. I had spent a good portion of my
life trying to avoid pain, especially anything that reminded me of how vulnerable
I was or anything that provoked me to face my own life struggles.
To my own surprise, as I have been confronted with my own weaknesses and struggles over this last year, I can see a real growth in not running from others pain and being willing to embrace it with no embarrassment.
With that in mind, I can see a new expression of Jesus' love for me. He faced the
worst there was in us. Spit on, beaten, mocked and then crucified. He looked pain
right in the eyes and didn't hide from it. For that reason, I can see that He is
not ashamed of me or of what is going on in me. He doesn't look away, He isn't
embarrassed and won't faint when He sees the painful part of life. He promises to
walk with me through it and knows He can do it because He already has.
How do I apply this to leadership?
Now how do I apply this to leadership? In essence, all of humanity is broken and
in pain. It is an ongoing part of our life. You can't lead like Jesus if you are
afraid of embracing your pain or walking with others in their pain. Sometimes the
greatest courage we can show in leadership is to embrace the pain in life and not
feel like we have to fix it, but to trust God in the midst of it. These days, that
is what I call leadership.
May you have the grace to face the pains of humanity with no shame or embarrassment.
May you find faith and comfort in your own time of need and have enough grace and comfort left over to reach out and give it to many others.
God bless you,
Matt & Celia
FAMILY MATTERS:
MATT: We had a great time in KL. It was good to be with friends and teach with Landa.
I just had a MRI done on my knee and it looks like I may have to have an operation.
A small tear in my Meniscus so we will have to see if insurance will cover it.
I would appreciate your prayers as my knee as been really hurting for two weeks.
CELIA: We did have a great week in KL, Malaysia as Matt said. It was election week
in Malaysia and it was encouraging to see the people in that nation take steps to
own it's choices and raise their voices. They are also watching the US elections
quite closely and with much interest. We go to Cambodia next Thursday for about
10 days. We are looking forward to connecting with our friends there.
JOSH He has some temporary work but needs a full time job. He is still trying to
figure out where he wants to live. He has survived an Oregon winter and that is
cause for celebration coming from Hawaii.
If this monthly Muzing is helpful, please forward it to friends and family, using
the link below.
If you're not yet a subscriber, use the JOIN OUR MAILING LIST button above.