Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Three to Get Ready . . .

Over the past several weeks I have been really intrigued by three things God showed me that can really hinder a person's ability to lead. They are not talents or knowledge. They are three internal things that alter your emotional stability and your reaction to situations.

God had just shown me the impact of these three things on my life when the gun went off on one of the hardest decisions I have had to make. I'm going to share these three things with you one-at-a-time because they each stand alone and deserve individual attention.

The first one is Pride: Pride is the need for recognition, credit or praise. It is also the inability to take criticism. The first part of pride will make you a starving idiot if you are in a culture where praise is not shoveled out. The second part will leave you wounded and bleeding if you are in an environment where authenticity and excellence are valued.

If we don't overcome Pride we will remain hungry and hurt. If we are willing to be humble we will be content to serve before an audience of One and receive corrective criticism as an ingredient for growth.

Pride doesn't always parade itself in a puffed up attitude. Sometimes it hides in the depth of our heart, hidden and undetected, but still affecting our ability to lead and grow.

Check it out.