Matt's Muzings
When Leadership is Like the Eco-Challenge
It has been an interesting month for me. I missed last month's MUZING for the first time in almost 3 years. I kept thinking I would get to it, and never did. I was in Korea for 9 days (traveled the length of the country by train), then home for a week, then off to Switzerland to teach in a school, continuing on to the Ukraine for a retreat and in churches. In the Ukraine alone I spoke ten times in the first five days and traveled from Kiev to Lviv and then a seven hour train ride down to Ushhorod. Then back to Kiev . Overall it was a great time, but a whirlwind of different foods, beds, people, travel, teaching and opportunities to trust God. I will include some pictures of the different places I went to on our web site if you are interested in seeing them. www.ywamconnect.com/sites/MattRawlins
All I have to say is that sometimes a leader is busy. I don't want to live my whole life that way, but there are seasons where you just have to push yourself for what God puts before you. You have to go beyond yourself.
I have been watching the Eco-Challenge. It is the supposed to be the most difficult race in the world. These teams wade through cold water, climb high mountains, raft, mountain bike, repel down cliffs and push through dense jungles. This year it is in Fiji . They go without sleep for days, and push themselves beyond their limits. There are tears, empty stares, head in hands, dragging themselves and each other on the team as they struggle on. Most teams don't make it as sickness, bleeding feet, hypothermia or infection stops them.
It is described as a equal opportunity destroyer. It attacks the young and old, the strong and weak, the happy and sad. The winning team, Kiwi's, took 6 days, 22 hours, 51 minutes. 81 teams began, only 10 teams finished. Sometimes life can feel like that.
One thing that you see in the participants or any who want to be involved that is vital, is a refusal to give up. They talk over and over about the strength of the human spirit. A willingness to push ahead no matter what. A mule like perseverance that simply will not give up. THEY WANT TO FINISH THE RACE.
There are seasons in all leadership where we are in a similar challenge. For me there are times in the struggles of travel and teaching when you push yourself and wonder if you have anything left to give.
Jesus understands
When I find myself in those places I often remember Jesus and seasons of his life. I love the gospel of Mark for that reason. Mark writes of the challenges Jesus faced and how sometimes it wasn't easy.
In Chapter 3 alone he writes of the crowds pushing so hard to touch him that he needs a boat to be ready in case the crowd gets out of hand. He is also too busy to eat at times and then he is accused of being demon possessed as well as crazy or another way of saying it is that ‘he has lost his senses'. I am also reminded of how Jesus was so tired that one time he fell asleep in the boat and even a raging storm that seasoned fishermen think is going to kill them, does not awaken him.
Several times over this last month I had to have a talk with myself. To remind myself that this was not about me or doing what I wanted. I get into trouble when I begin to ask myself the question, ‘What am I doing?' I then think it is about me and that brings confusion. I remind myself, that God is for me and it is about Jesus, the lover of my soul, He understands. He knows what I am going through and walks with me through it.
I guess the simple point is this: Leadership is hard work. It requires discipline and laying down your life for others. It is not about what will make me happy? Or, how comfortable can I be?
Leadership is first and foremost a choice. A choice to lay down your life to serve others with the gifts and abilities that God puts in you and wants to use through you. Each leader has a choice and that choice is linked to the willingness to do what is needed to honor God.