Credibility

Organizations don't act; individuals do. Organizations don't save lives; individuals do. Organizations don't defraud; individuals do. It's important to make this distinction, because ultimately every one of us must take personal responsibility for what we do. Actions have consequences, and we all have to account for our own. What organizations do is create cultures. Culture is the organizational equivalent of a person's character. The behavior that is modeled becomes the behavior that is followed...It really does matter what you choose to believe in.James Kouzes and Barry Posner
Credibility: How Leaders Gain and Lose It, Why People Demand It

I first read Kouzes and Posner over a decade ago. Their research and writing about "credibility" is strong. The relationship between individual action and organizational culture is worth considering. Over and over again I have observed this relationship played out in terms of an individual member of the body of Christ and the Church. Although Kouzes and Posner were not writing about churches, the relevance is clear. We cannot depend on the "Church" to take action apart from our own willingness to act. Likewise, we cannot expect the "Church" to be pure apart from our own commitment to holiness. When we break it down on the local level, it reminds us that organizations do create culture. Cultures are created through the behaviors of the individual members. Love is evident in the culture of a "Church" when the members are actively extending themselves as the hands and feet of Christ. Grace and Hope are evident when the members model the heart and mind of Christ in daily life.

Destiny

Be careful of your thoughts, for your thoughts become your words
Be careful of your words, for your words become your deeds
Be careful of your deeds, for your deeds become your habits
Be careful of your habits, for your habits become your character
Be careful of your character, for your character becomes your destiny
Anonymous

I ran across this old poem today and it made me think. We do not become who we become by accident. I hear the word “random” used in a lot of different ways. Sometimes it is just a sarcastic way to describe what we can’t explain about life. When I turn to God for perspective, I discover that the development of my character is anything but random. I’m not saying that I have a grip on everything that happens or affects me. But, I am saying that my thoughts, my words, my deeds and my habits have a cumulative effect on the person I become. Destiny is another word that gets tossed around a lot. God’s plan for our destiny has never been in doubt. In fact, I can describe it in one word. Home.

Worst Deal Ever

Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty silver coins. (Matthew 24:15-16)

As we approach Good Friday this week, I will revisit the betrayal of Jesus. Judas accepted 30 pieces of sliver in exchange for "handing Jesus over" to His enemies. No matter how many times we read about it, it's very difficult to believe. How could Judas do it? Matthew makes it clear that Judas was filled with regret and attempted to return the silver (Matthew 27:3) when he saw that Jesus was condemned. What seemed like a good deal was clearly a mistake. The Bible is filled with "bad exchanges". Esau exchanged his birthright blessing for some bread and stew (Genesis 25:34). Making decisions based upon what satisfies us in the moment is seldom a good idea. It's a good week to ponder what it means to choose to follow Jesus. It's not a short term decision. It's not a decision we make based upon some momentary benefit. The consequences are eternal. In order to choose Jesus, it is helpful to weigh the competition wisely. Do we really think we will be better off following something or someone other than Jesus? While pondering his fate in the belly of a fish, Jonah yields some wise counsel. "Those who cling to idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs" (Jonah 2:8).

Palm Sunday

This Sunday we will celebrate. Many people will turn to Matthew 21:9 and read about the shouts of "Hosanna" from the crowd as they laid their cloaks on the road when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. What a contrast. The scene in Matthew is one of excitement, anticipation and revolutionary expectation. Yet, this mighty revolutionary leader was riding on a donkey. As I have studied for my "Palm Sunday" message, I turned back and looked at a old passage in 2 Kings 9. It's a description of the anointing of Jehu as King of Israel. After Jehu was anointed with a flask of oil by the prophet of God and proclaimed to be the next king, his fellow officers spread their cloaks out before him and blew a trumpet and shouted "Jehu is king!". It's a good cultural reference to what we see in Matthew 21:9. In the remainder of 2 Kings 9, Jehu does some damage. Kings are slaughtered and a Queen is thrown from a window and eaten by dogs. Perhaps that is the kind of revolution that the people in Jerusalem expected. But, Jesus was not the leader they "wanted", Jesus was the leader they "needed". Jesus was on His way to the cross. His revolution is far reaching. Jesus did more than damage His enemies. In the words of Paul, Jesus conquered death, hell and the grave. It's a victory he shares with us. It's a great reminder: Jesus may not provide "victories" the way we want, but He continues to provide the "victories" that we need the most.