"The Way to do is to be." --Lao-Tzu
I recently read this quote—which I had heard before but had not given its due attention –in a book by Joseph Jaworski about the “Inner Path of Leadership” titled “Synchronicity.” The premise of the book is beautifully given by Peter Senge in the introduction who first recognizes the groundbreaking work of Robert Greenleaf and his authorship of “Servant Leadership” and then goes on to talk about Jaworski’s passion for fundamental shifts of mind from “seeing a world made up of things to seeing a world that’s open and primarily made up of relationships.” The book, while it will never be sanctioned by the Church, has brought to mind the Church nearly the entire time I’ve been reading it (i.e.--Christians as “servant” leaders in our culture seeking relationship over building programs, buildings, and yet another ministry. –AND-- Christians flowing in a natural state of being over constant and fruitless activity…where Christ--a true servant leader--and His love are the pure motivation and we are released into motion by the Holy Spirit and the results are nearly effortless on our part.)
These thoughts both challenged and inspired me. First, they challenged me because I am a performance-oriented person who enjoys “doing” and doesn’t much know what to do with myself when a state of “being” is required. And while my mind fully understands the absolute awesome power of God is unfathomable and that to BE patient in His timing and His will is to BE empowered by Him, I still rationalize and justify busy-ness just to appease myself and the pressure to perform and produce that I allow to haunt me. But, I have no doubt that I am not alone in this and think that it possibly reaches even greater proportions on corporate levels: businesses, organizations, and, yes, churches. So, when my Father placed a book by Bert M. Farias in my hands titled “Soulish Leadership,” I knew my toes would be hurting very soon. It is a “check yourself before you wreck yourself” book and talks about the motivations of a man’s heart…building your own kingdom vs. building God’s kingdom and largely uses Saul and David as examples. It also demonstrates that these two different mindsets are the difference in producing an Ishmael or an Isaac. It prioritizes the Kingdom of God and pursuit of relationship with Him over pursuit of personal or ministry results and glory…which Jaworski would term as “things.” The following passage is the one that personally grabbed me because of my own struggles with desperate attempts to build my dreams over seeking first God’s kingdom and His timing…which inevitably end up in frustration and discouragement, and the worse feeling that comes from having known all the while that I can trust Him to produce what I, in my own strength, cannot.
"Intimacy With God:
One distinct characteristic of this Church age, and a third feature of a soulish church, is the emphasis placed on doing the work of God over being in fellowship with Him, DOING over BEING...We will only do what God had called us to do when we are being what God has called us to be. The BEING must come before the DOING. Our part is to focus first on being a lover of Jesus Christ and a possessor of His holy nature, then spiritual reproduction will be imminent. God will have His way.
When we are truly loving Jesus, our works will be alive, not dead. The grace of God will be activated, and our works will be motivated by LOVE. We will no longer be powerless to produce spiritual results because we will have ceased from our own works. The reason we have the ACTS of the Apostles is because of the great power and great grace that were upon them (Acts 4:33). And such power and grace were upon them because of their great love for Jesus and for each other (Acts 4:32). The power to BE released in them the power to DO." --Bert M. Farias "Soulish Leadership”
And here is where I was inspired, because the above is what author Perrianne Brownback likes to call a “fractal zoom,” a truth that visibly replicates itself at every level…in this case: our personal life, our local church, and, ultimately, the Bride of Christ as a whole. I read a blog this author recently titled “Grace Lived Out” where she gives an intimate account of her own struggles with doing over being.
“I see all this potential but I don’t know how to produce it myself and I have heard the wise man say that the richest place on the planet is the graveyard, due of course to all that buried potential! That just can’t be me, so I must act! Right? Only partly….I must ACT from that place of REST, realizing that I am not posturing myself, but being positioned by Him. I do not have to be a slave of destiny at the expense of Kingdom provision! Destiny is simply my little corner of the Kingdom, and the Kingdom is HIM! How could I take my dreams to my grave if my life is enveloped in Him?”
Yes! Where the power to BE has released her into the power to DO! This is a spiritual law that International Corporate Millionaire, Jaworksi , has seen showing up in all levels of businesses and organizations across the world; that International Missionary and Minister, Farias, has seen demonstrated in churches and ministries across our globe; and, that Author and Pastor, Brownback, has experienced in full while pursuing God and His people through the local churches. And, that I also have witnessed it at work in my own life in pursuit of the dreams that God has given me to fulfill in His kingdom. This repetition can only mean one thing in my mind…that the heart of our Father is calling to people at all levels of “leadership” to BE (rest in his finished work)…BE assured that you can TRUST Him to PRODUCE the results that will fulfill the passions and dreams He strategically placed inside of you to build His kingdom! And then DO these things…Pursue relationship with Him first (become a lover) and cultivate relationship with those He places in our lives (become a builder of HIS kingdom).
And, of course, I leave you with a song/psalm written by David who, above all and in spite of many failures, desired to build God’s kingdom above his own. He knew to check his motivations and the state of his heart before pursuing anything and this was his prayer in Psalm 51.
Create in me a clean heart, oh, God
And renew a right spirit within me
Create in me a clean heart, oh, God
And renew a right spirit within me
Cast me not away
From thy presence, oh, Lord
Take not thy Holy Spirit from me
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation
And renew a right spirit within me
I recently read this quote—which I had heard before but had not given its due attention –in a book by Joseph Jaworski about the “Inner Path of Leadership” titled “Synchronicity.” The premise of the book is beautifully given by Peter Senge in the introduction who first recognizes the groundbreaking work of Robert Greenleaf and his authorship of “Servant Leadership” and then goes on to talk about Jaworski’s passion for fundamental shifts of mind from “seeing a world made up of things to seeing a world that’s open and primarily made up of relationships.” The book, while it will never be sanctioned by the Church, has brought to mind the Church nearly the entire time I’ve been reading it (i.e.--Christians as “servant” leaders in our culture seeking relationship over building programs, buildings, and yet another ministry. –AND-- Christians flowing in a natural state of being over constant and fruitless activity…where Christ--a true servant leader--and His love are the pure motivation and we are released into motion by the Holy Spirit and the results are nearly effortless on our part.)
These thoughts both challenged and inspired me. First, they challenged me because I am a performance-oriented person who enjoys “doing” and doesn’t much know what to do with myself when a state of “being” is required. And while my mind fully understands the absolute awesome power of God is unfathomable and that to BE patient in His timing and His will is to BE empowered by Him, I still rationalize and justify busy-ness just to appease myself and the pressure to perform and produce that I allow to haunt me. But, I have no doubt that I am not alone in this and think that it possibly reaches even greater proportions on corporate levels: businesses, organizations, and, yes, churches. So, when my Father placed a book by Bert M. Farias in my hands titled “Soulish Leadership,” I knew my toes would be hurting very soon. It is a “check yourself before you wreck yourself” book and talks about the motivations of a man’s heart…building your own kingdom vs. building God’s kingdom and largely uses Saul and David as examples. It also demonstrates that these two different mindsets are the difference in producing an Ishmael or an Isaac. It prioritizes the Kingdom of God and pursuit of relationship with Him over pursuit of personal or ministry results and glory…which Jaworski would term as “things.” The following passage is the one that personally grabbed me because of my own struggles with desperate attempts to build my dreams over seeking first God’s kingdom and His timing…which inevitably end up in frustration and discouragement, and the worse feeling that comes from having known all the while that I can trust Him to produce what I, in my own strength, cannot.
"Intimacy With God:
One distinct characteristic of this Church age, and a third feature of a soulish church, is the emphasis placed on doing the work of God over being in fellowship with Him, DOING over BEING...We will only do what God had called us to do when we are being what God has called us to be. The BEING must come before the DOING. Our part is to focus first on being a lover of Jesus Christ and a possessor of His holy nature, then spiritual reproduction will be imminent. God will have His way.
When we are truly loving Jesus, our works will be alive, not dead. The grace of God will be activated, and our works will be motivated by LOVE. We will no longer be powerless to produce spiritual results because we will have ceased from our own works. The reason we have the ACTS of the Apostles is because of the great power and great grace that were upon them (Acts 4:33). And such power and grace were upon them because of their great love for Jesus and for each other (Acts 4:32). The power to BE released in them the power to DO." --Bert M. Farias "Soulish Leadership”
And here is where I was inspired, because the above is what author Perrianne Brownback likes to call a “fractal zoom,” a truth that visibly replicates itself at every level…in this case: our personal life, our local church, and, ultimately, the Bride of Christ as a whole. I read a blog this author recently titled “Grace Lived Out” where she gives an intimate account of her own struggles with doing over being.
“I see all this potential but I don’t know how to produce it myself and I have heard the wise man say that the richest place on the planet is the graveyard, due of course to all that buried potential! That just can’t be me, so I must act! Right? Only partly….I must ACT from that place of REST, realizing that I am not posturing myself, but being positioned by Him. I do not have to be a slave of destiny at the expense of Kingdom provision! Destiny is simply my little corner of the Kingdom, and the Kingdom is HIM! How could I take my dreams to my grave if my life is enveloped in Him?”
Yes! Where the power to BE has released her into the power to DO! This is a spiritual law that International Corporate Millionaire, Jaworksi , has seen showing up in all levels of businesses and organizations across the world; that International Missionary and Minister, Farias, has seen demonstrated in churches and ministries across our globe; and, that Author and Pastor, Brownback, has experienced in full while pursuing God and His people through the local churches. And, that I also have witnessed it at work in my own life in pursuit of the dreams that God has given me to fulfill in His kingdom. This repetition can only mean one thing in my mind…that the heart of our Father is calling to people at all levels of “leadership” to BE (rest in his finished work)…BE assured that you can TRUST Him to PRODUCE the results that will fulfill the passions and dreams He strategically placed inside of you to build His kingdom! And then DO these things…Pursue relationship with Him first (become a lover) and cultivate relationship with those He places in our lives (become a builder of HIS kingdom).
And, of course, I leave you with a song/psalm written by David who, above all and in spite of many failures, desired to build God’s kingdom above his own. He knew to check his motivations and the state of his heart before pursuing anything and this was his prayer in Psalm 51.
Create in me a clean heart, oh, God
And renew a right spirit within me
Create in me a clean heart, oh, God
And renew a right spirit within me
Cast me not away
From thy presence, oh, Lord
Take not thy Holy Spirit from me
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation
And renew a right spirit within me
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