Michael Josephson tells about “an old legend … of a monastery in France well-known throughout Europe because of the extraordinary leadership of a man known only as Brother Leo. Several monks began a pilgrimage to visit Brother Leo to learn from him. Almost immediately the monks began to bicker as to who should do various chores.

“On the third day they met another monk who was also going to the monastery and he joined their party. This monk never complained or shirked a duty, and whenever the others would fight over a chore, he would gracefully volunteer and simply do it himself. By the last day the other monks were following his example, and they worked together smoothly.

“When they reached the monastery and asked to see Brother Leo, the man who greeted them laughed. ‘But our brother is among you!’ And he pointed to the fellow who had joined them late in the trip.”²

Not all, by any means, but unfortunately many today who want to be leaders—be it in the church, the community, politics, or in the business world—want it for the wrong reason. They want the position for attention, prestige, prominence, control, money, or to manipulate for power to push their particular brand of product, belief, or philosophy (be it good or bad), or for other varied false motives.

There is an urgent need today for leaders—the kind modeled by Brother Leo—and more importantly, the kind modeled by Jesus who came to serve and to give of himself.³ His motive was loving concern for others. It’s called “servant leadership.” This type of leader leads by example and not by command or demand.

And as Josephson said, “Can you imagine how much better things would be if more politicians, educators and business executives saw themselves as servant leaders?” To which I would add preachers, teachers and, most important of all, to be modeled in the home by we men who call ourselves fathers.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me to be a servant leader in whatever capacity I find myself, and with your help, always strive to be like Jesus in everything I do. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Romans 12:10 (NIV).
2. Michael Josephson, Character Counts (313.3). http://www.charactercounts.org/.
3. See Philippians 2:6-8.

Robert Schuller shares the wonderful story about Olympic champion, Charlie Paddock who loved to speak to young people in high schools. At East Tech High School in Cleveland, Ohio, he challenged those young people: “If you think you can, you can! If you believe something strongly enough, it will come to pass in your life.” Afterward he lifted his hand and said, “Who knows? Maybe there’s an Olympic champion in this auditorium this afternoon.”

Later a scrawny little black boy approached him and said, “Gee, Mr. Paddock, I’d give anything if I could be an Olympic champion just like you.”

It was that young boy’s moment of inspiration. From that moment on his life was changed! In 1936 he went to Berlin, Germany, and won four gold medals. His name is Jesse Owens. When he returned home he was driven through the streets of Cleveland and greeted by a cheering crowd. The car stopped for him to sign autographs. That day a skinny little boy pressed himself against the car and said, “Gee, Mr. Owens, I’d give anything to be an Olympic champion just like you.”

Jesse reached out to this little fellow (who was nicknamed “Bones”) and said, “You know that’s what I wanted when I was about your age. If you will work hard and train hard, and if you will believe, then you can become an Olympic champion.”

The little boy was so inspired that he ran all the way home where he told his grandmother, “I’m going to become an Olympic champion.” In Wembley Stadium in London, England, in 1948, six young men waited to hear the starting gun. The man in the outside lane burst out ahead; drove down to hit the tape, and won the race. His name was Harrison “Bones” Dillard. He tied Jesse Owens’s Olympic record that day and went on to break many more records.²

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me to see what you want me to achieve with my life, give me the faith to believe it is possible, and the courage and determination to pursue it with all my heart for the betterment of others and for your glory. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Matthew 9:27-30 (NIV).
2. This illustration is from Robert Schuller’s Move Ahead With Possibility Thinking, (New York: Jove Books, 1967).

Wishing all our Daily Encounter readers a very Happy and Prosperous New Year. Obviously, the past is behind us. We can’t undo it even if we wanted to, but we can start the New Year with hope and purpose, keeping in mind the words of Minnie Haskins who said, “And I said to the one who stood at the gate of the year, ‘Give me a light that I may tread safely into the Unknown.’ And he replied, ‘Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.’”

I couldn’t think of a better way to start the New Year and, with God’s help, “Let this coming year be better than all the others. Vow to do some of the things you’ve always wanted to do but couldn’t find the time. Call up a forgotten friend. Drop an old grudge, and replace it with some pleasant memories. Vow not to make a promise you don’t think you can keep. Walk tall, and smile more. You’ll look ten years younger. Don’t be afraid to say, ‘I love you.’ Say it again. They are the sweetest words in the world.^“2

As each year rapidly passes I’m becoming more aware of the fact that life is short for all of us. So be sure to make 2010 an investment in eternal values knowing that, in the words of the poet, we have “Only one life ’twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.”

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you for another New Year in which to serve you. Please help me to invest it wisely in eternal values so that when I stand before you face to face, I will hear your welcome words: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord.’ Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Philippians 3:13-14 (NIV).
2. Ann Landers.

King Duncan of Dynamic Preaching shares how “Vince Lombardi has often been described as the greatest football coach in modern times. He was a tremendous motivator. Before a group of sportswriters, he was once asked to explain why the Green Bay Packers won so many ball games. Everyone was expecting some profound insight into the complexities of the game of football and the unique genius of a coach who was about to unravel the mysteries of his success. Instead, his response was simple and straightforward.

“He said, ‘Football is a game that requires you to move the ball 10 yards in four attempts. Football games are not won on 50-yard pass plays or 90-yard running plays. They are won by moving the ball 10 yards in four attempts. The other team will do everything in its power to prevent you from achieving this. So it is a game of who’s best prepared. Who wants to win the most, and who never loses sight of the fact that all you have to do is move the ball 10 yards at a time.’ Vince Lombardi was a winner because he never lost sight of the importance of plodding.”

Lombardi wasn’t saying that we shouldn’t have worthwhile goals. Not at all. His goal was to win football games. Our goal as Christians is to win at what God calls us to be and do. And that isn’t achieved overnight. It’s steady plodding all the way—year in and year out. As with the Apostle Paul, we don’t win the prize from God until our life’s work on earth is done.

As the Apostle Paul also said, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”²

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you for the high calling I have in Christ Jesus. Help me to keep my eye on the goal you have called me to reach for in what I become and in what I do with my life in serving you. And help me to never give up, so that in the end I will be a true winner in your eyes. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Philippians 3:13-14 (NLT).
2. Galatians 6:9-10 (NIV).

Walt Disney—certainly a creator and fulfiller of dreams—said, “Somehow I can’t believe that there are any heights that can’t be scaled by a man who knows the secrets of making dreams come true. This special secret—curiosity, confidence, courage, and constancy, and the greatest of all is confidence. When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way, implicitly and unquestionable.”

Living in Southern California I still like going to Disneyland and appreciate it more today than ever, knowing that Disney went broke six times (I believe it was) and had a nervous breakdown before becoming successful. Walt succeeded because he was a man with a dream of what could be and the determination to make it happen.

As George Bernard Shaw said, “There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why? I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?”

And as Edward Everett Hale said, “I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do.”

For the Christian, while none of us may be gifted to be a Walt Disney, a Robert Kennedy, or a Martin Luther King, God has gifted and has a purpose for every one of his followers. Each of us needs to discover what that purpose is, turn it into a dream and, with God’s help, work to fulfill it. In so doing we, too, will make an impact on at least one other life, and for many of us, an impact on many lives. And then, when we come to the end of life’s journey, we will hear God’s welcoming words, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.”²

When our dream is a God-given one, we don’t have to dream the impossible dream. For with God all things are possible. Not that fulfilling the dream will come easily. In all probability it will be a life challenging task. But think of the ancient Israelites to whom God gave the Promised Land. God didn’t hand it to them on a silver platter. Only where they planted the soles of their feet did it become theirs—and they had to battle for every inch of the way. However, had not God given it to them, it would have been an impossible dream–and even today it would be impossible for them to survive without God’s protection. Let’s each claim God’s dream he has for us.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please reveal to me my God-given life purpose. Help me to make it a dream that, with your help, I will never stop pursuing until my life’s work on earth is done and I stand before you on that grand and glorious day when I meet you face to face. May I so live and work that I will hear your welcoming words, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord.’ Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Mathew 9:29 (NKJV).
2. Matthew 25:21 (NKJV).

Besides the dreadful crimes of rape, robbery, abuse, murders, etc., that are constant fare on the daily news, there are several other things that I find very distressing. One of which is the way so many people throw their trash out of their car window; or leave it in public places, in the street, on the beach, in national parks, and so on.

Most times when I hiked in the mountains near where I used to live, I would find scattered empty beer cans and bottles, soft-drink cups, and all sorts of garbage thrown on the ground by self-centered, thoughtless and ungrateful people.

I say ungrateful because these people have no appreciation of the marvels and wonders of God’s creation and the sacrificial cost and efforts of hard working, responsible people who have labored to build incredible highways, to keep our country beautiful, and to provide so many wonderful places for us to visit. The more I watch the news and see the terrible conditions in which millions of people are living in so many countries, the more grateful and appreciative I am of the incredible blessings and provisions we have living in the free world.

I am also disturbed by the numerous shoppers who are too lazy and thoughtless to return their shopping cart to the store or in one of the designated places for shopping carts, but just leave it blocking a parking spot and for a store assistant to pick up. This forces stores to increase their prices causing you and me to pay for thoughtless people’s inconsiderateness.

And how tragic it is that instead of promoting the good, the worthy, and the noble, so much of the news media “promotes” irresponsibility, crime, evil and the negative because that’s what sells!

However, as Christians we are to strive to be Christ-like in everything we do—including cleaning up our own messes and acting as thoughtful, responsible citizens. The most effective way I know how to keep our places of living clean and beautiful is by example. The laws of the land will not change people’s nature. Only God can do that. However, as Christians may we so live that people seeing Christ in us in everything we do will want Christ and what they see in us for themselves.

And let us encourage our capable young people to enter politics and places of influence so that they can help make a difference.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please open my eyes so I can see, not only the innumerable blessings that come from you, but also the incredible blessings I have living where I live. Please give me a grateful heart so that I will never take these blessings for granted. And, no matter where I live, please help me to be responsible and Christ-like in all that I do, and use me to help make my world a better place in which to live. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Romans 12:10-11 (NLT).

“Cheaters never win and [real] winners never cheat.” Cheaters may seem to win for a while but eventually their cheating finds them out.

Sadly here in America, the cases of cheaters being caught continues to increase. As Michael Josephson reported a few short years ago in his radio program, Character Counts: “In a recent week we heard about the scandal of plagiarism by the journalist of the New York Times; the indictment of former billionaire Martha Stewart; accounting fraud at McKesson—a Fortune 20 company; accounting manipulations at the Xerox Corporation; related accounting scandals regarding Tyco International, Halliburton, the Rite Aid drugstore chain; and the ‘famous’ Sammy Sosa being caught red-handed using an illegal bat, saying it was used by mistake. Insiders and experts could hardly muffle their laughter, knowing that hitters of Sosa’s caliber know their bats like mothers know their children.”²

But it’s not only in America. Some readers will recall how, a few short years ago, my broker in Australia stole my entire retirement fund. I don’t know how long he had been cheating by stealing from his clients, but he, too, got caught red-handed and paid a terrible price—he lost his honor, his trustworthiness and received a six-year jail sentence!

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, help me to always heed and live by the directives found in your Word and adhere strictly to all your commandments—all of which are given for our protection and the successful functioning of any society. When I’m tempted to stray, give me a listening ear to hear the voice of my conscience and the inner prodding of your Spirit. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Numbers 32:23 (KJV).

2. Michael Josephson, “Character Counts,” (309.1) and (309.2), www.charactercounts.org

3. Ibid.

As is commonly known, one of the biggest killers of ideas is the excuse, “We’ve never done it that way before.”

However, profound ideas can come from the strangest places. Creative genius comes to people who are open to new ideas and different ways of doing things. For example, in 1964 the freighter Al Kuwait which was carrying 6,000 live sheep capsized and sank in Kuwait’s harbor. The sunken ship with its decomposing cargo began to present a serious threat to the country’s water supply through its desalination processing plant.

To overcome the problem the ship had to be raised and moved to a safe place without falling apart and dumping its poisonous contents into the nation’s water supply.

Karl Kroyer, a Danish engineer working in Kuwait, came up with a novel idea. He pumped 27 million ping-pong balls into the freighter’s hull which slowly raised it to the surface.

And where did he get this idea? From a Donald Duck comic book. Somebody sank Donald’s boat and he and his feathered friends raised it by filling it with ping-pong balls!

When it comes to creative living, a better place to get great ideas is in the words and examples of Jesus in the Bible. It pays to know it and hide its truths in our heart. One’s life is greatly enriched when it is lived in harmony with God’s Will and Word.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please give me a greater love for your Word, help me to hide it in my heart ‘that I might not sin against you,’ and be guided by its principles in everything I am and do. Gratefully in Jesus’ name.”

1. Psalm 119:105 (NIV).

You may have read about the man, a construction worker who took a sandwich out of his lunch bag, looked at it and threw it on the ground, yelling, “Baloney again! I hate baloney.” A coworker said, “If you hate baloney so much, just ask your wife to make you something else.” The man replied, “That’s the problem. My wife didn’t make the sandwich. I did.”

Whether this story is true or not, doesn’t really matter. It’s a great parable.

As Michael Josephson in Character Counts said, “Lots of people continually make their own baloney sandwiches and then act as victims when it’s time to eat them. It’s like the man who killed his parents and had the audacity to demand mercy because he was an orphan.”

Or like the overweight man who kept eating hamburgers and blamed and wanted to sue MacDonald’s, and three other hamburger chains for contributing to his obesity. And like the lady who sued a store because she fell over an unruly child and hurt herself—and the unruly kid in question was her own child! The tragedy was she won the case and was awarded something like $700,000! We’ve gone sue crazy in this part of the world where I live and much, if not most, of it is because of gross irresponsibility and pure greed—wanting the rewards of hard work at someone else’s expense.

I realize it can be extremely difficult (and sometimes impossible) in tough economical times to get work, but if work—any kind of work—is available and I don’t want to work, nobody, including the government, is responsible for paying me or feeding me … neither are my parents…nor is society. As Paul implied, if I CAN get any kind of a job but don’t want to work or do so-called menial work, then I don’t deserve to eat. Let me add, I’ve done some pretty menial work in my time—working as many as three jobs at once in the summer break and part-time through the school year to put myself through college. Years later, I’m still working a second part-time job to supplement my ministry income.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, if in any way I’m acting irresponsibly and trying to get others to do for me what I can and need to do for myself, help me to confess up and accept personal responsibility. And if I’m supporting an irresponsible child or person, help me to wake up and motivate him/her to grow up. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. 2 Thessalonians 3:10 (NIV).