IT WAS IN “THE BOOK” FIRST!

In my professional career in Human Resources, I was exposed to a lot of Leadership Principles, and the cost to my employer was no small amount. The training usually was good, sometimes very exceptional. However, in my other career as a pastor for 35 years, I have discovered that much of what people have trademarked and copyrighted as their principle or theory is not really original. It was in “The Book” first.

Let me give you a few examples to support my thesis. Actually, it is more than a thesis, it is just truth.

If you want to look at real efficiency and best practices in regard to processes, just look at God’s work in the creation. If you want to look at that principle that advocates that there is a place for everything and that everything has a place, just look at how God put order and explain the function of all things in creation. It was in “The Book” first!

Perhaps you want to look at delegation. Well, look at God’s delegation to Adam. Look at Jethro’s advice to Moses. For Christ’s sake, really, look at the Great Commission. If you want to look at the key principles of interaction, look at the elders’ advice to Rehoboam in regard to interacting with those under his kingship. What about communicating fact-to-fact, or as Eric Berne would say, “Adult-to-Adult,” all you have to do is read through The Gospel According to Mark and see how Jesus developed His disciples, taking them from enthusiastic beginners to self-reliant achievers. It was in “The Book” first!

Still, you may want to know about progressive discipline, well, just look at Jesus’ teaching about discipline in the church. If you want to learn about seeking input, check the gospels and see who Jesus used the seeking input approach by asking questions of those He was developing. If you need to know about establishing preferred criteria in selecting a new employee or even a new pastor, refer to how Paul defined the qualifications for persons to be appointed elders in every city. Targeted Selection?  It was in “The Book” first!

I have to give you a couple of more. If you want to really know where the thought of reaching for perfecting and achieving excellence, all you have to do is recall Jesus’ words, “Be ye perfect as my Father is perfect.” Too much New Testament? Well, my friend, here are a couple of more. If you want to look at succession planning, look at Samuel’s anointing of David way before he took the place of King Saul. Or look at Jesus naming of twelve Apostles to do a greater work.  If you want to look at doing more with less, look at Gideon defeating a very massive opponent with 300 men. It was in “The Book” first!

Let me get back to the New Testament. If you really want to learn about diversity and inclusion, go look in the Bible. It was in “The Book” first! If you want to look at counter your disbelief that you can take the worst person and make him/her into the ’s best as it relates to meeting performance expectations, get in the word and look at the life of Paul. Finally, since I am only giving you a few examples, let me give you one more. If you want to look closer at the axiom, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going, just look at Jesus going to Calvary to save a wretch like you and me! It was in “The Book” first!  I’ll close with a verse related to that since all good teaching and preaching really should lead to the cross. Read it and rejoice! Be blessed!

“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6-8 ESV)

Committed to the climb,

Mark L. King