I never thought I’d say “poopy”
READ IT: Today’s chapter: 2 Samuel 8
When Erin and I had our first child, our entire world changed. Even though we’d read books and attended classes to prepare us to be parents, we didn’t quite realize how every aspect of our lives was going to be altered.
Before we were parents, we used to go to the movies and watch double features. After we became parents, we made plans in accordance with the eat-sleep-wake schedule of our newborn son. When it had been just the two of us, we’d sleep late on Saturdays. Now that there were three of us, we were scrambling for sleep any time we could get it. In my pre-kid days, I had a “word a day” calendar on my desk that I used to expand my vocabulary. Now that I had a kid, I heard myself saying words like ‘poopy’ and ‘blanky’.
Prior to all of this, if someone had offered me a job that would have the same impact on my schedule and my sleep and would cause me to talk like a babbling buffoon, I’m sure I would have turned down the position. I would have said all that change was too big a sacrifice to make. But now that I was a parent, I was being impacted in these ways and many more and never once thought of it as a sacrifice. In fact, I was glad to do it.
Why? It’s simple. I loved my child.
Because of love, I routinely put my son’s interests ahead of my own. I protected him, cared for him, and provided for him. Even though I didn’t expect anything back in return, I was rewarded beyond what I could have ever dreamed. My relationship with my child is priceless.
As David finally becomes king over all of Israel, his leadership is summarized in verse 15 with these words: “doing what was just and right for all his people.” He didn’t take advantage of them or lord his authority over them. He did right by them because he loved them and he loved God.
Real leaders put the best interests of their team ahead of their own interests or personal agendas. John Knox said it this way over 400 years ago: “You cannot antagonize and influence at the same time.”
Good leaders know that the key to being influential isn’t in having a position of authority. Leadership isn’t about correcting people’s mistakes, or bossing people around, or being the smartest person in the room. As John Maxwell and Jim Dornan wrote in Becoming a Person of Influence: “If you want to make a positive impact on people, you cannot dislike, despise, or disparage them. You must give them love and respect.”
DO IT: Take a step today toward developing an environment where you do what is “just and right” in your home, your workplace, and/or your church. Commit to eliminating criticism and negativity from your speech, and replace them with words of encouragement and gratitude. If you find yourself struggling with this, remember what Jesus said in Luke 6:45, “The mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” Ask God to fill your heart with genuine love for the people in your life that overflows into your words.
Who will you encourage today?