Friday Thought : Love. That's it.

@justinmcroberts

This might be one of the most encouraging posts I’ve written in a long time. For me at least. I hope it is for you, too.

The following passage has been increasingly on my mind and heart lately. And the more I read it, dwell on it, and try to live, the more encouraged - and convicted - I become.

Love is . . .

A modified version of 1 Corinthians 13:

If I am elegant in speech, sharing words as sweet as honey, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 

If I have the gift of foresight and can acutely analyze all things, if I have a belief and conviction that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 

If I give all I possess to the poor and endure immeasurable hardships so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in destruction but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. 

Convicting in that no program, gift, slogan, or initiative means anything if not driven by love.

Encouraging in that, no matter how many times an idea or an attempt to help others fails or is ill-received, if done in love, it is not wasted.

Lean on Me:

Then, this morning while greeting kiddos and jamming to The Rubberband Man Radio on Spotify (a GREAT playlist!), an old yet beautiful song played. Lean on Me, by Bill WIthers

Most Generous Thing:

About an hour later, a principal friend of mine shared this with me. It is no my new favorite question:

What’s the most generous thing you can do today?

Happy Friday!

Keep striving to do Great things and change the world! No matter what we do, if done with love and sincere compassion for others, it is never wrong. For as Allister Begg - an old favorite preacher - used to say, “It’s always right to do right, because it’s right.”

Do right. Do love.

Friday Thought : Words of our Leaders

In the past week, I’ve listened to the podcast, Learning to Love with Tim Shriver hosted by Simon Sinek twice. I’ve listened to it twice! I hardly ever listen to a podcast twice, much less in the same week, but this one was different. I needed it.

At one point in the episode, Simon references J.F.K. and his beautiful “Ask not what your country can do for you” speech and how important it was for our country then, and now. Wesley Shultz, the lead singer of the Lumineers also references the importance of that speech in his intro to the song, Charlie Boy and how it changed the trajectory of his uncle’s life.

This week, as schools and school boards are unraveling their back to school plans, as superintendents address their schools, and as principals meet with their staff, the idea that “the words of our leaders ready do matter” has hit closer to home. Especially during times of hardship.

Leaders set the tone. Their words bring meaning to the task at hand and are either stumbling blocks or life jackets. They can save lives, ruin lives, and inspire people to lay down their lives for others. They have immense power.

As a leader, we must choose our words wisely, with consequences and people in mind. Lives depend upon them.