The following is a lesson taken from a 52-week series on leadership entitled, “Fan Into Flame.”  I wrote the series to encourage and motivate Bible Talk Leaders by studying the life and leadership of Timothy and Titus.  Enjoy……Daren

“Do Your Best”

Read 2 Timothy 2:14-19

     There are many things in spiritual leadership that seem like a science – apply this formula, you get a predictable result.   Other things are different, and seem more like an art.  Sure, you can try formula’s and strategies, but the results don’t always turn out like we expect.  In my experience, more leaders (especially young or new ones) tend to view leadership as a science, not an art.  In reality, it seems to be a delicate combination of both.  The problem is, when we view leadership of people as a science, disappointment or discouragement is not far away. 

     We have established that Timothy had his hands full in Ephesus.  From this particular passage, we know that people were needlessly quarreling about words.  It was causing fights, and sadly, ruining those who heard it.  There were those indulging in godless chatter (aka unspiritual talk or gossip).  There was destructive false teaching spreading quickly throughout the church.  Paul compares it to gangrene, the erosion of body tissue caused by nasty bacteria…not good!  Such people, calling themselves Christians, had in fact wandered from the truth and begun to hurt the fellowship.  Faced with these pressures, Timothy was in a heated battle with his own effectiveness.  Knowing this, Paul tells him to do his best to seek God’s approval by wholeheartedly applying himself to the gospel and striving to be a diligent workman. 

     Why would this have been an encouragement to Timothy?  It is very possible that he (like many of us) viewed leadership as a strict science.  He could have started with zeal and fervor, setting out to do leadership perfectly.  Before long, his idealistic vision of leadership and results seemed out of reach.  Paul reminds him that before God, he is supposed to do his best, not do it perfectly.  Can we perfectly see to it that we never sin, baptize our friends, make our kids respond the right way to things, grow the church quickly, make people repent, make people open, or make people remain faithful?  Of course not.  Leadership is much more of an art form.  Certain things seem to work effortlessly and smoothly, other things leave us scratching our heads in bewilderment.  Leaders naturally seek control, and we simply cannot control so much of what happens regarding other people in the church.  In fact, when we (for whatever reason) seek to live even our own faith perfectly, we become enslaved to a rigorous, exhausting, guilt-filled walk, devoid of grace.  In contrast, when we try to “make every effort” (Luke 13:24, Rom. 14:19, Eph. 4:3, Heb. 4:11, 12:14, 2 Peter 1:5, 3:14) to do what God wants us to do, we can live happy and surrendered knowing that we have “done our best” and the results rest firmly in God’s hands.  This reality makes me happier to serve, and ironically, makes me work harder as an artist in God’s wonderful church!

Reflections

1.  God does not expect perfection from you – he expects your best.  How does this make you feel?  Does this change the kinds of pressure you feel as a leader?  Do you find yourself more motivated and joyful in your leadership role because of it?

Lynne and I are nearing the end of one of the more interesting vacations we’ve ever had.  We are in the mountains of Colorado with pretty much nowhere to go and not much to do–perfect!  Time has slowed down in our little hillside cabin, and I’m sure we’ll be in for a jolt when we get back to Seattle on Monday.

I said we were doing little, but that’s a bit of a fib.  Lynne and Kurt, her funny and fascinating border collie, have been involved in two dog trials (not a legal innovation but rather a sheepherding competition), including the national championship (!)  In fact, as of this morning, Lynne & Kurt made the semi-finals, which is a bit like Hoosiers since Lynne only does this as a hobby.  Meanwhile, Scott remains sitting at the kitchen table, trying to write a book (I am now aiming for finishing at Christmas).

The Amazing Kurt

With these sheepherding dogs, you hear a subtle debate woven through the comments handlers make to one another–is it the handler that makes the performance great, or the dog?  Can a dog of great breeding overcome the shortcomings of a novice handler?  Is it vice-versa?  Lynne and I were chatting about this a few days ago and I remarked, based on what happens in marriage therapy, “I think there’s a ‘third thing’ at work–the partnership, which transcends the elements that compose it.  We’re fond of saying, in therapy-land, that 1+1= 3:  there’s you, there’s me, and there’s WE.

Partnership:  it’s a big value here in Seattle.  It may be one of the most beautiful things about this church.  It’s not about you.  It’s not about me.  It’s about, as the Chinese say, “Yat Chaih”–together.  We’re better together–as a ministry staff, as leadership teams, in our marriages, in our families.  So as the fall unfolds, think about the Partnerships in your life.  We’re often focused on “my growth, my goals,” and rightly so, but think carefully, as the season changes again, about the partnerships you’ve neglected and the ones you want to forge (or re-forge).  That’s the joy of sheepherding.  And the joy of Grace, which tears down the barriers between partners.