A guy with a hand full of dreams and a heart full of God (just like the song says)...I like almost all kinds of food, good movies especially especially comedies and inspirational.Making music that makes a difference...and traveling with my team mates around the world!!
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Coping with Difficult People
Therefore David said to the Gibeonites, "What shall I do for you? And with what shall I make atonement, that you may bless the inheritance of the Lord?" 2 Samuel 21:3
Every leader faces difficult people and draining circumstances. The Gibeonites were difficult for David.
The following difficult personality types commonly accost leaders today:
Personality Type
Coping Strategy
The Sherman Tank: rides over people
Consider the issue; stand up if important
The Space Cadet: lives in another world
Find and develop their unique gifts
The Volcano: explosive, unpredictable
Remove from crowd, listen, be direct
The Thumb Sucker: self-pity, pouts to real trouble
Surely the princes of Zoan are fools; Pharaoh's wise counselors give foolish counsel . . . Let them know what the Lord of hosts has purposed against Egypt. The princes of Zoan have become fools; The princes of Noph are deceived; They have also deluded Egypt, Those who are the mainstay of its tribes. Isaiah 19:11-13
What qualifies a person to be a leader?
Most natural leaders don't aspire to be great leaders; they aspire to be great persons. Personal qualifications lead to leadership qualifications. When leaders lead their own lives well, others naturally want to follow.
Consider Mother Teresa of Calcutta, India. It's doubtful she ever said, "I am going to set out to be a great leader!" Yet that is what she became by determining to be the person God created her to be. If we want our leadership to last, we must pay attention to four crucial elements:
1. Character - enables us to do what is right even when it seems difficult. 2. Perspective - enables us to understand what must happen to reach a goal. 3. Courage - enables us to initiate and take risks to step out toward a worthy goal. 4. Favor - enables us to attract and empower others to join us in the cause.
“Then the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah--from the Lord out of the heavens. Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, including all those living in the cities--and also the vegetation in the land. But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.“
In one incredible act of kindness and grace, God rescued Lot and His family from the evil city of
Gomorrah before He destroyed it. There was just one directive given… run, don’t stop, and don’t look back! (See vs.17)
We serve a gracious God who chooses to pluck us out of our disastrously unrighteous situations and put us on a path to freedom and recovery, even when we deserve to suffer the full consequences of our sin.
However, He still issues the same directive that he did so many generations ago to Lot’s family.
Unfortunately, it is in our human nature to want to re-visit those behaviors, relationships, or situations that we were graciously rescued from. We sometimes feel that we are recovered and strong enough to handle the fire and not get burnt. Inevitably though, we fall straight back into the temptations that got us into trouble and often walk away from the free gift of freedom that God so miraculously provided for us.
We must learn the lesson of embracing the grace of God and fully obeying His instruction not to look back. We must trust that He is wise and all-knowing and loves us deeply. He will only remove from our lives those things that are destructive and threaten our salvation. He loves us. It may be painful for a season, but I urge you to let go of your sin and run in the opposite direction until it is just a distant memory!
Prayer
“Jesus, I thank you for your incredible gift of grace and forgiveness that sets me free from the
bondage of sin even though I deserve the full consequences of my disobedience. I thank you that you never leave me to die in my sin, but always offer a way of escape. Help me not to look back and to leave it all behind me. Amen.”
What are these principles that makes the eagle so special. What lessons can we derive from them.
1. The Eagle Flies At High Altitude And It does Alone. This is an amazing principle of the eagle which very few people can cope with. The eagle is not found among sparrows or other smaller birds. The eagles flies in altitude only one kind of bird can fly-the eagle. Never with other birds and never in flocks. What is the lesson here? If you ever want to do something great in life, learn to be alone and when you are with people, share your time with people of same ambition and desires
2. The Eagle Has Strong And Unbelievable Vision: This vision is so sharp to the extent that it can capture objects 5 kilometers from the air. No matter the obstacle, the eagle focus on its prey and does not back out until the prey is captured. Many obstacle will appear to distract you in life. Stay focused and never allow dissenting views and voices to deter you from your vital goals in life.
3. The Eagle Eats Fresh Prey. Vultures can feed on dead animals but not the eagle. The eagle is so choosy and special that it feeds on fresh prey only. What is the import of this principle to you? Stale information will never do you good. Update yourself regularly with fresh information from reliable sources. Research your subject areas and use it for maximum benefit.
4. The Eagle Gets Excited In The Midst Of Storm. Other animals can run from adversity but not the eagle. The eagle loves gathering cloud. In fact, it thrive best in the midst of storm and winds. How often do you allow opposition to discourage you? Learn from the eagle. Use life's storm to be better, wiser, greater, wealthier and healthier. Challenges should be your stepping stone to your success and not to your destruction. Jesus Christ went to sleep in the midst of the storm instead of fretting like the disciples. Learn to rest and soar during the time of storm in your life. That is the secret of the eagle.
5. The Eagle Tests Before Trusting. There is a saying that says 'trust but verify'. I believe it was coined from the principle of the eagle. This principle is peculiar to the female eagle which subject the male eagle to vigorous testing before allowing the male to mate with her. This principle could be applied in our relationship with others especially when we want to enter one kind of agreement or partnership with others. Test the commitment of people before you trust them with your time and resources.
6. The Eagles Prepares For Training: The male and female eagles takes the baby eagle to a mountain top at high altitude to prepare it for the challenge of flying at great heights. When the baby eagle is released, the free fall at first is frightening but the mother eagle soon come to the rescue and the process is repeated again until the baby eagle can fly alone at high altitude in the manner of the parents. Challenges of life are inevitable. It is a training period for higher responsibilities. The better you are at managing your battles in life, the wiser and more responsible you become. Preparation is vital for future success.
7. When The Eagle Feels Weak, And About To Die, He Retires To A Place Far Away In The Dark. The eagle does this to shed old wind and grow new ones. Stress and fatigue is part of life. There is need to learn how to retire to a quite place for periodic retreat and strategic thinking with planning. The freshness gained from such practice improves productivity and quality of life. It also prolongs life. Take time to refresh. It is and indispensable tool for success and longevity.
The eagle has the longest life-span of its’ species*
*It can live up to 70 years *
*But to reach this age, the eagle must make a hard decision*
*In its’ 40’s *
*Its’ long and flexible talons can no longer grab prey which serves as food *
*Its’ long and sharp beak becomes bent*
*Its’ old-aged and heavy wings, due to their thick feathers, become stuck to its’ chest and make it difficult to fly *
*Then, the eagle is left with only two options: die or go through a painful process of change which lasts 150 days. *
*The process requires that the eagle fly to a mountain top and sit on its’ nest*
*There the eagle knocks its’ beak against a rock until it plucks it out *
*After plucking it out, the eagle will wait for a new beak to grow back and then it will pluck out its’ talons *
*When its’ new talons grow back, the eagle starts plucking its’ old-aged feathers*
*And after five months, the eagle takes its’ famous flight of rebirth and lives for … *
*30 more years*
WHY IS CHANGE NEEDED?
Many times – in order to survive….we have to start a change process.
We sometimes need to get rid of old memories, habits and other past traditions.
Only freed from past burdens, can we take advantage of the present.
