"And the things that you have heard of me among many witnesses, the same COMMIT TO FAITHFUL MEN, who shall be able to teach others."
II Timothy 2:2
As I reminisced about God's move at our north and south campuses this past Sunday, I received an impressionable text message from a Pastor overseas. Sitting in my living room, the words emerging on the screen detailed the life impact of the message I had preached that morning; "The Power of Commitment."
Let me share a few thoughts on the impact of commitment:
One of the defining traits in the lives of successful people is a deep commitment to their cause. Successful individuals exude a passion forged by believing what they do truly matters. This is why you will never meet a highly effective leader who does not have an overwhelming burden for their cause. This burden propels them forward. Conversely, Leaders without commitment never accomplish their mission because the obstacles along the way will derail them. A committed leader, however, inspires others to believe in the cause.
People are willing to invest significantly in those who believe in what they do. People know that individuals or teams fueled by a worthy cause stay the course even when the going gets tough. David Livingston embodied this concept in his response to an aid group offering to assist him in a South African mission. Their inquiry read, "Have you found a good road to where you are?" To this, Livingston replied, "If you have men who will only come if they know there is a good road, I don't want them. I want men who will come even if there is no road at all." Livingston knew he needed a deeply committed team; otherwise, they would abandon the mission at the first sign of resistance.
With this in mind;
What makes a man forsake a lucrative profession to enter the ministry? A cause.
What pushes a soldier out of the bunker and into the line of fire? A cause.
What drives an athlete to train for years for an Olympic opportunity that may only last minutes? A cause.
What makes a firefighter run into a burning building and risk their life? A cause.
Never underestimate the power of a cause. Without it, there is no incentive to act, no incentive to sacrifice, and no incentive to practice. But with it comes a motivation that pushes us beyond what we thought possible.
British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli said, "I have brought myself, by long meditation, to the conviction that a human being with a settled purpose must accomplish it, and that nothing can resist a will which will stake even existence upon its fulfillment."
One of leadership's most challenging responsibilities is the assignment to inspire others to a worthy cause.
The significance of a vision will determine the sacrifice people are willing to make for it.
Have a blessed week,
Pastor (Rev. Elias Limones)
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