Romans 12:9 – 19
James 3:16 – 18
Where there is conflict and misunderstanding, our attitude should be that we want to see things resolved, have clarity and resolution to come. In the context we are working, issues are inevitable. We all have strengths and weaknesses and insecurities. When the weaknesses and insecurities come into play, they cause us to feel things, do things and say things. “Perception is reality.” People can perceive things that are not real and the truth is that reality is often different and we have to seek to resolve our perceptions of reality.
Andy and Alison Fry with the Ebenezer Team
Today’s session was just as excellent as yesterday’s. Andy continued by saying that we should try not to assume how people think and feel. There is a reason why people think and fee the way they do and these reasons need to be explored. This boils down to being able to LISTEN. Part of loving is listening.
In the western culture, people are not good at listening. They only hear what they want to hear – selective hearing. They already have a perception or framework about a person and feed into that. LISTENING is an act of LOVE - That is to really listen, and this requires patience. The pressures of life, schedules, appointments, programmes etc don’t allow us to listen. The natural reaction is to dismiss people. Not listening is not loving. It can be tantamount to controlling and has a tendency of being obnoxious. We need a heart that prefers others and to LISTEN with our mind, heart and spirit. Listen to the other person’s perception. James refers to that.
Looking deeper at our heart and motives….
Ephesians 4 speaks about ministry and leadership. The principle of ministry and leadership is about equipping people. Ministry is about service and not about a job or climbing the ladder of seniority.
The Kingdom of God advances when individual people’s hearts are changed and it requires people to do this, not organizations. It can creep in very subtly when you end up serving the organization which can be very demanding. The example of Frankenstein was used. He was a mixed up person who was trying to overcome death and created a monster. His motives were good but the monster came alive and killed him. We were encouraged to be careful – to keep focused and keep the vision statement clear. We are people who like momentum and to see thing moving but it’s as crucial to STOP and say what is happening here? What is going on?
Our growth and development as people
Hebrews 13:7. We observe something in a leader that we want to follow but sometimes, in reality, there are leaders who we don’t want to follow. Jesus Christ is an excellent example of a leader who we definitely want to follow and learn practically from him.
Luke 3:23
Jesus was 30 when he began his ministry. We are living in and age where gifts and talents are placed ahead of character. History has proved time and time again that if you rely on gifts and talents alone and not on character, something will blow. God is interested in our character and growth. The enemy will not attack your gift but your character. Gifts don’t prove anything about a person. It’s God-given and without repentance. The enemy can attack you and destroy you in many other ways, at a place of weakness so that he can make you null and void. People fall LONG before it becomes public knowledge and this is because the gift is still in operation. But, God is not mocked.
Jesus was 30 years when his ministry started. God held him back for 30 years to prepare him. Jesus was God incarnate – fully human and fully divine. Jesus had a whole experience of humanity.
Luke 2:52 Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favour with God and man. God took Jesus through the process of development – growth, preparation and maturity. Many people want to short cut the process, want to get on and do stuff. Identity is then found in what they do rather than who they are as a person. DOING is on gift and ability but it doesn’t prove character. It’s who you are that has the greatest impact in the Kingdom of God.
A lesson to be learnt is PATIENCE and again we are not living in a patient age. We want things to happen and we want it to happen NOW. But, God is very patient. To God, a day is like a 1000 years and a 1000 years like a day. Some things don’t come quickly but with time, growth and maturity. God works in us through the trials in our lives. Trials, delays, misunderstandings, disappointments in our lives are used to build character. If we rely on gifts, we will cause many people heartache because we want things done our way.
We are a broken people that God is redeeming.
Stay tuned for Pearls of Wisdom….pt 3
By Molly Manhanga
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