LifeVesting » Life Currency

Thinking Your Way to a Beautiful Life

Andy Wood — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:31:59 +0000

I know what you’re thinking right now.

You’re thinking, “No you don’t!”

I know… scary isn’t it?

Know what’s even scarier? Anybody who knows you at all can follow you around for a week and know what you’ve been thinking for the past year. That’s based, of course, on the biblical principle, “As he thinks within himself, so he is” (Proverbs 23:7).

Your life today is the result of your thinking. It may not always affect your circumstances, but it always affects your character. Your disposition. Your emotions. Your perceptions. Yes, your faith.

If you have any intention of designing a compelling future, it’s time to accept responsibility for the role your thoughts play in creating it. After all, your thoughts have produced the person you are right now.

That’s why the Bible gives such attention to your thoughts. Jesus said to love God with all your mind. Paul talks about renewing your mind, and not thinking of yourself more highly than you ought, but thinking soberly.

Recently I reread a familiar old verse and it rocked my world a little. The Lord showed me that my thinking about thinking wasn’t nearly as thoughtful or thought-out as it should have been. (I just love it when that happens!) Here’s the verse:

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things (Philippians 4:8).

I have always interpreted this negatively. In other words, I looked at it as a filter for the random assortment of thoughts that wandered across my mind.

“Halt, thought! Are you true? If yes, OK then. If no, get out of here!”

“Hey, you sneaky little mental devil! Okay, so you’re true. But you sure aren’t honorable! Begone!”

Seriously, that idea has its place. Paul mentions taking every thought captive elsewhere. But here’s what I had missed before. Six times – six! – the word “whatever” appears in this verse. Paul was not intending to limit our thinking, but to expand it.

Think about it. If Paul’s only intention was to filter our thinking, wouldn’t he have used a word like “only?” “Only think of what is true. Only think of what is honorable, etc.”

“Whatever” is a completely different matter.

What if we spent our mental lives in pursuit of the “whatevers”? What if we engaged in a relentless pursuit of all that is excellent and worthy of praise? Yes, that means we would eliminate some kinds of thinking from our lives. But it also means that we would broaden our search far beyond what our limited experience and narrow frameworks have allowed us to see.

More Than Just Passing Whims

What does it mean to “think on these things?” The word means to reason. Take account. Weigh. Meditate on. Consider.

This isn’t the thinking you use to cram for a test or stare blankly at the TV. It’s the kind of reflecting and careful study that is transformed into action. And the fact that the verb is present tense means do it now and continually. This is more than brain filters. It’s a positive approach to think deeply, meditate, and consider the things that all of humanity considers beautiful and praiseworthy.

Bottom line: Take the initiative…

…to continually…

… frame your thinking…

… in order to influence your behavior…

…all with a goal…

… to positively influence others.

So what are we looking for in this relentless search of the mind?

Pursue the True

The word literally means “unhidden.” To consider whatever is true is to pursue whatever is unknown. “Truth” here is not the opposite of false, it’s the opposite of ignorant. And despite what some would have you believe, there is no glory in ignorance.

Keep searching for authentic understanding. Ask questions. Read. Learn new things. Search out the hidden things – the things yet to be understood. Yes, that means spiritual things. It also means human and relational things. Scientific things. Artsy, geographic and cultural things. (Prepare to gasp…) Mathematical and historical things.

All truth is God’s truth. All understanding reflects God’s wisdom. And in the fear of the Lord and the recognition that Jesus is THE truth, the pursuit of wisdom and knowledge is an act of worship. It’s the kind of thinking that leads to a beautiful life.

Meditate on the Magnificent

What if you could steer your thinking in such a way that your life evokes honor or commands respect in others?

You can – by meditating on the magnificent.

The word “honorable” means “majestic,” “splendid,” or “excellent.” Again, it’s preceded by “whatever.” Look for everything that is excellent and honorable. All that reflects of beauty or majesty of character. In art. Music. Conduct. Design. Relationships. Talent. Leave no stone unturned in searching out that which other people respect and honor.

No room here for the cheap, shoddy, or obnoxious. Life – including the life of your mind – is too short to waste on mediocrity.

What if you spent every day in appreciation of the finest? What if you pursued – however imperfectly – the magnificent and excellent in your own life? What if you served a God who makes all that possible?

You do.

Delight in the Right

When your Mama or Daddy or hero taught you to “do the right thing,” they were talking about the word used here. But you can’t do what’s right without first pursuing a mind that thinks what’s right.

So how does that happen? By aligning your thoughts with God’s purposes. Meditating on whatever is right is in contrast to the wicked, who in the psalms are often referred to as “plotting wickedness” or “plotting evil against the righteous.”

This calls for an inner conspiracy to do the right thing.

It’s the same spirit that David brought to his covenant with Jonathan, long after Jonathan was dead. “Is there any other good I can do, for Jonathan’s sake?”

Delight in the right. Pursuit it. Study it. Become an expert in it – not to point out evil and error, but to inspire great behavior and relationships. That’s where beautiful lives begin.

Ensure the Pure

You can’t understand purity without understanding pleasure. They always go together in God’s economy.

Paul says our thinking should guide us to pursue everything this is morally pure or innocent. Thinking about avoiding the impure is much easier – just look for sensual things to NOT think about. Check back and let me know how that works out for you.

So if the mind can’t concentrate on the opposite of an idea, how do you pursue the pure?

Start by recognizing that all sensual pleasure – including sex, food, adventure, fun and rest – has its place. God invented it and created you in His image to enjoy it. He also set boundaries for a reason.

Now try this simple, yet profound question on a regular basis: How can I glorify God and have fun with this? If you don’t think that’s possible, you have a lot to learn about God, and about pleasure.

Look for the Lovely

Some things in life just smile at you. A cheerful sunrise or stunning sunset. A signature song or puppies or a freshly-cleaned house or fresh-squeezed orange juice. It arouses that part of the brain that opens up to receive with gratitude and delight.

It’s lovely. The word literally means “friendly towards.” More than just “acceptable” or “correct,” it fits in just the perfect spot for which it was created or for which you needed it.

Lovely things produce a response of contentment or satisfaction. And they’re everywhere. But so are dark things, that produce pain, fear, sorrow or rage. So you have a choice. What will you dwell on? What will be the meditation of your heart?

Choose those things that are “friendly towards” you. Notice them. Meditate on them. Surround your visual and auditory world with them. Feel them… and smile.

Consider the Commendable

Sounds good. That’s what the word means – fit or pleasant to be heard. Unlikely to offend. Commendable or reputable.

Paul is calling you out for a daring adventure in decency. What would cause other people to think well of you or admire you? And I’m not just referring to Christians.

While people are fickle and pleasing them is a trap, the world in general does have a set of virtues and values that it considers commendable. Things like honesty, service, altruism, kindness, loyalty, and consideration of others. As Watchman Nee once wrote, if we can’t live by the standards that the world has for Christians, how can we expect to live by God’s?

That doesn’t mean tolerating anything or avoiding all criticism. The point is to discipline your mind, not just to play defense, but to fill them up with the things that others see as praiseworthy.

Living beautifully begins with thinking beautifully. Don’t you think it’s time to go on the offensive?

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Better or Bitter? Five Ways to Know

Andy Wood — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:44:04 +0000

It was a new day at Grace Church. A new pastor was coming, and this would be his first weekend. People were excited, and they needed to be. Grace had gone through an ugly split that had left a lot of angry, hurt, and confused people in its wake. A pretty solid plug of people had started Faith Church down the road and had contacted the outgoing pastor from Grace to help them get started. Some people had left for other churches. Some people had quit attending anywhere.

One of the walking wounded was a former associate pastor – Chris Naylor. Chris had received “the right foot of fellowship” from the previous administration. Though he had found other opportunities for Kingdom service, Chris was still a member – at least on paper – at Grace.

That’s why I was a little surprised when I asked Chris and his wife Rachael if they were going to hear the new guy that weekend, and both immediately, categorically said, “No.”

Ooh. Sorry I asked.

“My friends think I’m bitter,” Chris added.

“Are you?” I asked.

“I don’t know,” he replied honesty. “How do you balance the fact that on the one hand I love the church and wish nothing but the best for them, but on the other hand, have absolutely no respect for their system of leadership or the choices they have made?”

“I don’t know.”

Chris was just getting warmed up as Rachael was tearing up. “How do you wish the new senior pastor well, but sincerely pray that God destroys every underpinning of manipulation, deception, inbreeding, materialism, control, bitterness, and pride?”

“This is a church we’re talking about?” I asked semi-sarcastically.

“How do you move on and accept the fact that you’ve been rejected, and yet still want to be open to whatever God may have for you in the future? Is it okay to say, ‘It’s just too painful for me to be here right now?’ Is it okay to focus on being mentally, spiritually and emotionally healthy and quit lingering?”

“Well, it is important that you’re moving toward healing, wherever you go and whatever that looks like.”

Rachael chimed in: “Why would we want to stay there? We’re not getting fed, it’s hard to worship, and we have no respect for the people in authority. Does that mean we’re bitter toward them? Does it mean we have an unforgiving heart? Hey, we stayed around longer than a lot of people.”

“That may be true,” I replied. “But it isn’t wise to evaluate your heart by comparing yourself with other people.”

A Repeated Conversation

The conversation above – which is fictionalized – is a composite I have had with dozens and dozens of people over the last 35 years. Never have I seen more spiritually homeless or church-wounded people than in recent years. Sometimes it’s because they’re in search of something they can’t find this side of heaven. Sometimes it’s because Church World has dramatically changed over the last 20 years, for better or worse, and they feel left behind.

But most often, it’s because the place they once called (and felt) home deeply disappointed or wounded them.

And I don’t care.

I don’t mean I’m not sympathetic. Hey, I get it. Been there, and have drawers full of t-shirts to show it. The “fellowship of the forgiven” can be a brutal place sometimes.

But my primary concern isn’t, “You poor thing, who did this to you?”

My primary concern is, what are you (and I) doing with the hurts? Regardless of what you do on Sunday mornings, are you, with God’s help, moving toward healing? Or are you just hiding in a cave of self pity or shame? Or hurling a lot of anger stains on other people – sometimes the people you most care about? Or holding it all in with a stone-cold, bitter heart?

How Can You Know?

The tricky thing about healing is that it sometimes engages in similar behaviors as bitterness. Sometimes you actually may need to withdraw from a painful environment or say good-bye to toxic relationships for the sake of healing – yours or someone in your family. A man once told me, “When your wife has to take a tranquilizer just to make it through Sunday morning, it’s time for a change.”

Yes, it is. But because the heart is easily fooled, it’s important to remember – just because you’re not drinking any more of the poison doesn’t mean it’s no longer in your system. And make no mistake about it – bitterness is a poison.

So that’s the difference between bitterness – an ongoing sin – and moving on through a grief process or whatever is healthy? Evaluate your experience by these five differences:

1. Bitterness moves me away from God. Healing moves me toward Him.

It’s one thing to pull away from toxic people or places. It’s another to pull away from God. The Lord invites you to bring your pain, your sorrow, your burden, even your sinful anger to Him. That was the secret of so many men and women in the Bible. They had their share of betrayals, rejection, and disappointment. But they continued to bring them to God.

2. Bitterness seeks to justify myself and my behavior. Healing is always teachable.

Bitterness makes you a permanent, innocent victim. You’re never wrong when you’re bitter – it’s always somebody else’s fault. Healing is different. If you want to see a great example, check out Psalm 73. After railing and whining at God like a jackass, the psalmist shut up and got teachable. “When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you,” he says. Do you suppose there is something you need to learn?

3. Bitterness alienates me from other people. Healing moves me toward people.

Bitter people begin having a tainted view of all relationships. Everyone is suspect. Nobody can be trusted. Churches are all the same. Men are all the same. Women are all the same. White people or people in authority or you-name-it kinds of people are all alike. Healing, on the other hand, recognizes the value and need we all have for relationships. It’s wise enough to recognize that while they are no substitute for God, other people can and should be instruments of his love.

4. Bitterness seeks more reasons to carry an offenses. Healing deals with issues, and seeks closure.

Bitterness has a way of keeping the mental files open. The radar stays on alert for more evidence, more gossip, or (best yet) more bitter people to commiserate with. Anything to justify the rage and keep the poison flowing. Healing seeks change. Resolve the issue. Change the situation. Change the attitude. Change the location if necessary. But all for the sake of restoring your heart’s ability to give and receive love.

5. Bitterness seeks revenge or pain for those who offended. Healing seeks the grace to forgive.

Bitter people live for the day when their offenders hurt as badly as they have been hurt. But here’s the problem – revenge or “justice” may bring a certain amount of satisfaction. But it doesn’t cure the heart of its sour, hostile disposition. Only forgiveness will do that. And let’s be clear: forgiveness is not natural. It’s supernatural. It is a work of grace, performed by a God of grace, in a heart of faith. It rarely happens just once – it’s an ongoing process, as is 99% of the healing you ever experience. But it’s as faithful as the God behind it to restore what people’s meanness or stupidity have taken from you.

Hurting hearts are tricky, dangerous things. They face an ongoing series of forks in the road – one leading to bitterness, the other toward healing. This is a case where you may, indeed, want to choose the road less traveled. It will make all the difference. But choosing the road less traveled doesn’t mean you have to go it alone. You have a Faithful and True Companion, who promises rest for the soul’s burden you carry.

Don’t you think it’s time to take Him up on that offer?

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What to Do When You Don’t Know What to Do

Andy Wood — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 07:17:48 +0000

If you just read the title of this and are still reading, you don’t have time for cute stories or complicated formulas, so I’ll just get to the point, if that’s OK.

If you are in a situation where you are at a complete loss as to what to do, it’s because you need to reset your glance and your gaze. You have allowed your gaze – your long-term focus – to become set on your circumstances, your prayer request, your frustration, your pain, your desperate desire for change, or something other than the Lord. You’re glancing at God, asking Him to fix whatever you’re gazing at.

Nice try. I understand why. But it doesn’t work that way. Reset your gaze on God, and your glance on the world around you.

That’s what it means to wait on the Lord.

That’s what it means to praise, or to worship

Yes, that’s in the Bible.

Want More Detail?

Okay.

At any given time your perspective has two possible ends – your glance and your gaze. Walking in the Spirit means keeping your gaze on Him, and your glance on the world around you. As a result, you are free to respond to the world around you without reacting. That’s exactly how Jesus described his life:

So Jesus answered them, “I tell you the solemn truth, the Son can do nothing on his own initiative, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise (John 5:19, NET).

For I have not spoken from my own authority, but the Father himself who sent me has commanded me what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. Thus the things I say, I say just as the Father has told me” (John 12:49-50, NET).

For Jesus, it was all about the gaze. His gaze was on the Father. His glance was on the circumstances.

Waiting on the Lord

I have never known anyone who was serious about their relationship with Christ who didn’t go through seasons where their only recourse (other than howling at the moon) was to wait. Specifically to wait on the Lord.

Care to guess how those seasons come advertised? Situations where you just don’t know what to do.

You know what you want. You’re clear as day about what you want to see happen. But it ain’t happening.

You’d settle for a little progress. That ain’t happening, either.

You’d even settle for a little sign from God that’s He’s awake.

You’ve tried everything you know to do. Still no change.

God’s solution: wait on Him. (Bet you’re thrilled with that one!)

Waiting on the Lord means more than just putting up with the way things are until He changes them. To wait on Him is to give Him your undivided attention. To gaze on His beauty, to listen for His voice. He promises that He will renew your strength with the power to soar like an eagle when you wait on Him.

Let me go out on a limb here. Don’t ask me how I know this. But maybe, just maybe…

Somehow along the way, your life has drifted to a point where Jesus is no longer the issue. You’re waiting on change. Waiting on people. Waiting on money. Waiting on marriage. Waiting on bosses. Waiting on children. Waiting on healing. Waiting on anything and everything but Jesus.

Time to get your gaze back.

To Praise is to Gaze

For years I heard it said that we praise God for who He is and we thank Him for what He has done. A few years ago I was reminded of how elusive praise is.

We still tend to think of God in terms of how He functions or what He does. On this particular day I sensed an invitation by the Holy Spirit to look beyond the works of God and gaze on the heart of the One who does those things.

He is more than Redeemer. He has the heart of a Redeemer. It’s a part of his nature and His heart.

He has more than a provider of refuge. He is a refuge.

I rediscovered praise that day. To praise is to gaze.

Can I Get a Witness?

I know what you’re thinking.

You’re thinking, “Andy, this reminds me of Jehoshaphat!”

And I’m thinking, “I know, I know! Me too!”

In case you forgot the details, Jehoshaphat – one of the rare godly kings of Judah – faced a terrible situation when the Ammonites and Moabites invaded. It was looking ugly. So the king called a solemn assembly and led them in an amazing prayer. Here’s how it concluded:

“O our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless bfore this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You” (2 Chronicles 20:12).

Did you see that? I told you it was in the Bible! Problem and solution all in one verse. We don’t know what to do. So we’re resetting our gaze.

Jehoshophat faced an impossible situation – one that left him powerless and clueless. In the face of an overwhelming enemy, he wasn’t focused on the enemy. He was focused on God.

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you. Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding, whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check, otherwise they will not come near to you” (Psalm 32:8-9).

God promises that He would guide us with His eye upon us. I’ve always viewed that as the Lord looking from over our shoulder, looking ahead for us, opening and closing paths for us, and coaching and coaxing us along the way.

I think I have a better picture. It’s a picture of the Lord looking into our eyes – face to face with us. And us developing the sensitivity to find our direction in the eyes of our Master.

Find your way through the maze when you learn how to gaze.

Of course, if you want to, you can be like the horse or the mule. And God says He’ll gladly put a bit into your mouth and lead you around that way.

When a horse or mule gets stressed, it goes into self defense mode. It thrashes and kicks and runs to the nearest place where there is a sense of safety. It looks at everything and anything that resembles a place of refuge. And sometimes we’re like the horse. Rather than looking to the Lord, we look for escape routes. Circumstances. Endless possibilities, or no possibilities. Illusions of safety. Promises of relief.

The good news is, we have a good and patient God. He’ll faithfully use the bit and the bridle if necessary.

But there is a better, more powerful and wonderful way. We can get our cues from Him. From looking to Him. From following Him as He has His eye upon us. As we do, we walk toward Him and He leads us. Often ever-so-silently, with His gaze and His love, He draws us forward. And shows us again and again that we can trust Him.

What do you do when you don’t know what to do? Be still. And reset your gaze on the Lord. He said He would lead you. You can trust Him.

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Come Stand by the Fire

Andy Wood — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:52:29 +0000

As long as people have searched for direction, worshipped their Creator, and looked for language to express their passion and warmth, we have returned again and again to stand by the fire.

The fire was an agent of God’s guidance and an ongoing expression of worship in the days of the tabernacle. And we kept returning to stand by the fire.

A refiner and cleansing agent of the hearts of men, the fire was a symbol of God’s hatred for sin and an affirmation for the prophets who spoke His truth. And again and again, we kept returning to stand by the fire.

The fire was a weapon of God’s voice, a light in the darkness, and an expression of hospitality and welcome. And from the dark places and lonely spaces, still we kept coming to stand by the fire.

The fire revealed a passion for God’s word in our bones, the baptism of the believer, the instrument of God’s testing, and the piercing gaze of the risen Christ. And out of desperation or terror, love or longing, still we kept coming to stand by the fire.

And even today the Spirit and Bride invite you to come. To be warmed and convicted and cleansed and restored and pure as you stand by the fire.

Come stand by the fire, and feel the sweet warmth of His presence and love as you call on His name. Good-bye isolation! No more shame and wandering. Let go of and run from the dark lie of loneliness – face and embrace the bright truth that wherever you are, there He is.

Come stand by the fire, and enjoy the delight of the simple things in life again – the warmth, and the wood, and the air that converge to make life-changing energy. The crackle of mystery, nature’s first symphony, beckons you back from a world of complexity. Be still. Breathe. Know He is God.

Come stand by the fire, and experience again the passion that flows from a heart’s first love. Let your heart come alive with a blazing and jealous desire many waters can’t quench. Turn away from the blasphemy of apathy and feel again, feel again, feel again what it’s like for your soul to be swept away.

Come stand by the fire, and dare to reveal your lost places to those who can help. Don’t run when they ask you to come a bit closer so they can see clearer just who you are. Just remember they’re gazing through fire that’s blazing away your transgressions and revealing those blind spots that all of us have.

Come stand by the fire, and send a loud signal to all who are lost and who need to be found – that this is the truth they are desperate for. “Light of the world” – that’s what Jesus declared you to be – you’re a city that’s set on a hill. And just as the lighthouse both serves as a warning and beacon of hope to the ships in the night, so you are the voice to the lost and the rudderless, pointing with boldness that Jesus is light.

Come stand by the fire, and rest in the safety that comes from His watch against the wolves in the dark. He is the door to the sheep who are helpless (and that’s you, just in case you’ve forgotten your need). Rest in his care for you. Trust in his love for you. Angels are guarding you. He’s the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the peace and protection of all who are His.

Come stand by the fire and receive the direction that calls to you in the dark nights of the soul. Sometimes the limits of faith will be tested. Sometimes the light will seem distant and flickering – just keep on following light you’ve been given. He’s faithful to know you, so faithful to lead you, so faithful to see you, so faithful to feed you. So follow the light and make darkness the liar – receive and believe and come stand by the fire.

Come stand by the fire, and follow the pull of the spellbinding gravity inside the flame. Just as we find ourselves lost in the wonder of watching the embers and coals in their burning, we also are yearning to witness His working and worship and fascinate – celebrate, fascinate – celebrate. Working and worship and fascinate – celebrate, fascinate – celebrate.

Come stand by the fire, and embrace the sweet fellowship, love and support of the friends of the flame. Though broken in places, we all know what grace is. And our declaration of faith isn’t based on self-righteousness, self-love or self-anything. We stand side-by-side because once we had Fallen and Jesus – Redeemer – descended as low as it took to lift all us out of the pit. And now with a heart set ablaze by His tenderness, we’re reaching out in His name to the weary, the broken, the hopeful, the wandering – Come from the darkness, get free from the danger, be still in His love –

Come stand by the fire.

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Who’s On Your SWOT Team?

Andy Wood — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 06:50:23 +0000

They called their hangout at Chip’s place the Land of O.Z. Not because there were witches, wizards, or munchkins there, but because whenever Chip, Blake and Tony got together, the ideas would start flying. And they were living in the Opportunity Zone.

The three friends met in the dorm at their university, and were all business majors. And they were dreamers. Entrepreneurial types, always looking for the next big idea or opportunity.

In the Land of O.Z., no idea was considered taboo. These friends would dream and scheme, design and research, test and toss away ideas before breakfast was done. They even tried one or two, mostly for fun. Not much happened.

Their big opportunity came when they anticipated the emergence of smart phones and the apps that drove them. This would be their surefire thing – what the Internet boom (and bust) had meant to the 1990s. They would establish a software design company that specialized in apps for iPhones.

A year later, Wizard of Apps was more or less history, and the friends-for-life had moved on.

Why?

Because they never could take their eyes off the Land of O.Z. long enough to focus on one idea. They never wanted to listen to anybody who asked the discouraging questions (“dream stealers” they called them). They never had the patience to actually learn app design or the money to hire somebody who could do it for them. And they never had the humility to take a sober look at what was missing in their ideas, habits, or skill sets.

Nothing wrong with the dream. Everything wrong with the team.

A Mirror and a Telescope

One of the most commonly-used techniques for planning or assessing an organization (or the idea for an organization) is the famous SWOT analysis. In case you never had to do one at school, work, or your church/nonprofit, here’s how it works:

“SWOT” stands for “strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.” Strengths and weaknesses are those factors within the organization or the idea. Opportunities and Threats are factors outside the organization – things like competitors, market factors, technology, government regulations, the economy, etc. All four are important for leaders and organizations to understand.

A well-done SWOT analysis serves as a good mirror for a team or organization. It helps us understand what we do well – what our genius is – and what we do poorly. That helps us decide how to approach those factors in future planning.

An accurate SWOT is also a good telescope, helping leaders and team members peer into the future by anticipating changes in the world around them. Again, that helps us position ourselves.

Oh, and even if you never experience this in organizational life, SWOTs are good things to explore about yourself, your work, or your ideas.

What’s Your SWOT Personality?

Did you know you have a SWOT personality? I believe you do.

Here’s what I mean by that. At any given time, any of us could focus on strengths, weaknesses, opportunities or threats. But being the creatures of habit that we are, we tend to focus on the one or more things that energize us the most. This is usually based on our “real” personality, skill set, or sometimes even spiritual gifts.

Let me show you what I mean. The Land of O.Z. dudes mentioned above were obviously wired to search out Opportunities. People like this (and I consider myself to be one of them) can go through ideas like Sherman through Georgia. They get energized by ideas. Their ideas. Your ideas. Doesn’t matter. Want some ideas? Talk to one of these people and they can give you half a dozen before the conversation is done. These are the entrepreneurs, the consultants, the church planters, the inventors. They are the creative types who take pleasure in the beauty of their dreams, even if the dreams never materialize.

Other people are energized by excellence. These are the Strengths finders. They focus on performance – calling out genius in others and perfection in themselves. They are the trainers, the drill sergeants, the coaches, the motivators, who recognize and develop excellence in themselves and others. Then they take that excellence to the next level. They have no patience for working on weaknesses – their leadership mantra is, “Work in your strengths and staff to your weaknesses.” They have a bias for action and get-it-done focus when they’re operating in the zone of their genius and gifts.

Threats-oriented people are energized by security. They are vigilant for signs of danger – to themselves, to their organizations, even to their country. They live in a world of what-could-be, and with the right perspective can offer enormous protection. These are the people who stay awake all night making sure you sleep in safety. They are the actuaries, the analysts, the risk management people, the police officers, the professional worriers. On teams or in organizations, sometimes they come across like bad news bears because they always seem to be focused on what could go wrong. But the worst thing you could ever hear one of these people say is, “I told you so!”

And then some people – the Weakness-oriented people – are energized by improvement. They are uniquely gifted at pointing out what’s wrong or what’s missing from a situation. They tell you when the pastor should have said “Jeremiah” instead of “Elijah” three times in the sermon or why there’s a ping in your engine. They love to improve everything – marriages, people, organizations, contraptions. These are the fixers, the mechanics, the managers, and the marriage counselors. Sometimes misunderstood as being too critical, Improvers are simply using their expertise to make things or people or teams better. And doesn’t everybody want to hear how they can do something better?

Building a SWOT Team

Want to lead for the long haul? Better make sure the planners and doers on your team are wired differently than you.

The temptation in leadership is to surround ourselves with people who think, act, and choose just like us. That is a recipe for disaster. Each of the four SWOT perspectives – I call them the Performer, the Improver, the Dreamer, and the Protector – can offer tremendous value to your team or organization. But only when they are partnered and balanced by the other perspectives.

Put a bunch of dreamers-only together, and you’ll get our Wizards of Apps. Long on possibilities, short on execution and follow-through.

A team of nothing but performers becomes a team of specialists and lightning rods, with gaping holes in needed talent and an often reckless disregard for wisdom and safety.

A team composed of Improvers-only becomes a nitpick brigade, micromanaging everything, training themselves into obsolescence, and never actually doing anything.

A team composed only of Protectors lives in a mental bunker of their own making, where every decision is based on the least predictable calamity or disaster.

But something magical happens when opposites attract and choose to come together as a team. Ideas are generated, protected, executed, and improved upon. Valid concerns are anticipated with fresh ideas, relentless improvement, and excellent execution. Extraordinary talent becomes future focused, nimble to changes, and open to improvement. And cautious analysts are exposed to a world alive with possibility and fraught with danger – yet they are called to take action because they come to understand – it’s always easier to steer a car that’s moving than one that’s sitting still.

Learn your SWOT style. And surround yourself with people who are annoyingly different. When all is said and done, you may be the team that does exploits.

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Dawn at the Museum

Andy Wood — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:00:21 +0000

Have you ever woken up first thing in the morning and realized you were in a museum?

And you were what was on display?

You may not have recognized the location at first because everything seemed so real. You were traveling through one mental display after another of your past life.

Names.

Faces.

Feelings.

Friends.

Sometimes the scenes are wistful and happy reminders of people and days gone by. Sometimes you’re reliving the glory days. But sometimes it plays out more like a horror movie or a disaster cleanup. It’s ugly – and you’re the reason.

It may be a new day on the outside, but in here you’re trapped in the old ones.

That happened to me a couple of weeks ago. I woke up feeling contemplative and sad. I was remembering an ugly season in my life from many years ago. I can’t point to any triggers that brought it all up, but here it was, and there I was reliving it.

I’ll spare you the details – we can save the vomit for another day (or no day). But in a matter of minutes I had a new view of how drunk I was on myself back then. Of how sick and broken I had allowed my life to become on the inside, all the while pretending to be somebody else on the outside. I was too blind to see it then. But with my eyes still closed on a Tuesday morning years later, it was all too clear.

Then it came. The haunting questions. The accusations. I should have known who my tour guide was, but the memories were so vivid I got lost in them.

“That’s who you really are.”

“You’re no different today than you were back then.”

“You’re a joke, and when people are kind to you, they’re just being polite.”

“You’re a reject, and you should be.”

Depressed yet? I was headed there. But that was when I did something profound and mood-changing:

I got out of the bed. And out of those thought patterns. I made the coffee. I wrote out some things in my journal. And I listened for the Voice of Truth from God’s word and His Spirit.

And here’s the gist of what He had to say:

Why do you continue to pay and pay and pay – as if you COULD pay for the exceeding sinfulness of your sin?

Maybe there’s a better way – an only-good way. Read this. Declare it over your life. And by My power, live it:

I lay the exceeding sinfulness of my sin on the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, where it has been paid for once and for all.

I account to Him for my wretchedness, but also for His redeeming life that flows through me.

I yield, not just to the demands of His holiness, but to the truth of His declaration that I am forgiven and free.

I place my dependence, not on my performance or my ability to please people, but on His ultimate declaration that “it is finished.”

I base my worth, not on my ability to manipulate or my ability to grovel in the guilt, but in the proven worth of His offer – His wealth in exchange for my poverty, and His life in exchange for my death.

I remember my past as the works of a dead man – not just the works of sin, but the works of self-righteousness, which are just as repugnant to God.

I look soberly at my past life as relics from a museum – reminders that I once was lost but now I am found.

Once found, sometimes I lose my way – badly. But I can look at today and, despite circumstances or conditions I may wish were different, I can declare I am free.

I may yearn for what I have lost, but not as one who has been lost to God.

I may mourn for lost opportunities I wish I could do over, but not as one who has forever lost a God of opportunity.

I may grieve the losses, but I rejoice in a God with the infinite capacity to restore and even multiply the years that the locusts have eaten.

The end of the story hasn’t been told about me yet.

If Samson – God’s wild child – still had something left in him after his defeat and humiliation, then so do I – a Christ-covered, blood-bought child of the living God.

If David had more victories to win, albeit it at painful cost, then so do I.

By the grace of God I am what I am. And His grace to me will not be in vain.

I am not the man I woke up remembering this morning.

And I am not the man I am yet to become by his still-transforming grace and love.

The next time you wake up in a mental museum, make sure you know who your tour guide is. You may think you’re looking at facts, when all you’re truly seeing is a freak show – and he’s telling you the lie that you’re the freak.

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Dear Texas Department of Transportation

Andy Wood — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:56:46 +0000

Thanks for spending the money and manpower to tell us, not once but three times, what we already knew from the rattling and bouncing of our vehicles.

Is it too much to ask you to actually solve the problem?

I guess if you can’t amaze us with the outcomes, you can always astound us with the obvious.

Hmmm.

If fixing roads doesn’t work out for you, maybe you should consider a career in journalism. It’s a similar skillset.

Or maybe politics.

Then the three signs would read:

Rough Road, Vote for me.

Rough Road, Not my fault.

Smooth Road Ahead.

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Deep In My Heart

Andy Wood — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:09:04 +0000

Way past the appearances and impressions we try to leave,

Behind the masks and attempts to please the critical and excite the vain -

Beyond the insiders’ lingo and bless-to-impress,

There rests a true heart.

Your heart. My heart.

Authentic, insofar as we can know it without being deceived by it.

Wiser, it seems, than we often give it credit for being.

More terrified at times than we would ever let on.

More prayerful than we often realize…

More ruthlessly demanding that we care to admit in polite company.

Gloriously free from what we used to be – yet humbly aware of how far we have to go.

It’s there – deep in the heart – that we know things without having to prove them to anybody.

It’s there that we find our harshest critic and biggest fan.

It’s there that we hear things – eternal things – whispered in the silences by a still, small Voice.

It’s there that we speak things for no one else to hear but ourselves.

Deep in my heart I know that I have been blessed far more than I deserve, and how thankless I can be nonetheless.

Deep in my heart I see those nagging empty places dominated by God-sized dreams yet to be realized and impotent dreams that long ago came true.

Deep in my heart I tug against (and with) life in a material world – the allure of more, and the bondage of wanting more.

Deep in my heart I revere those extraordinary people who have touched my life as the finest tokens of grace and most precious exhibits of love.

I am free – and deep in my heart I see it. I am loved – and deep in my heart I know it.

Deep in my heart are memories of mountains climbed and the deep satisfaction of a mission accomplished and a “Well done” declared.

Deep in my heart are treasures yet to be found – and the steadfast confidence that God has written my name on some of those treasures because only I can find them.

Deep in my heart is a haunting ache that the greatest accomplishments and treasures in this life are meaningless if there is no one to share them with and No One to glorify in the process.

Deep in my heart is the humbling realization of how lost I would be without the faithful, unconditional love of God.

I am free – and deep in my heart I feel it. I am loved – and deep in my heart I know it.

Deep in my heart fear calls – reminding me of how big the world is, how fragile life is, and how small I am in the face of it.

Deep in my heart faith answers, however clumsily – declaring that in Him is life, and that life is the light of men.

Deep in my heart futility beckons – reminding me that life is painful and hearts need shielding and it’s just not worth the risk to make myself vulnerable.

Deep in my heart freedom answers – declaring that in Him the curse of futility is broken, and that hope is the birthright of every believer in this life.

I am free – and deep in my heart I believe it. I am loved – and deep in my heart I know it.

Deep in my heart I fear the unraveling of all of the things I strive to control.

Deep in my heart I know better – that control is an illusion, and self-protection is not my job.

Deep in my heart I press into the lie that all my dreams are important.

Deep in my heart I know the truth – that some dreams just don’t matter, and some are more precious than gold.

I am free – and deep in my heart I cherish it. I am loved – and deep in my heart I know it.

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The Courage-Giving Leader

Andy Wood — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:15:40 +0000

Quick Question: What do the people you lead (and you do lead somebody) do when trouble shows up?

Quick Answer: They do what you lead them to do.

More Thoughtful Question: Do the people you lead (and you do lead somebody) run for the hills or cower in fear at the first sign of trouble, or do they courageously rise up to the challenge?

More Thoughtful Answer: They do what you lead them to do. Not necessarily what tell them to do or manipulate them to do. What you lead them to do.

That reminds me of a story. True story. About a guy named Eli. Now Eli was a soldier, and being a soldier, he had a Commander-in-Chief. And the reason Eli’s Commander-in-Chief was the Commander-in-Chief was because he was the biggest dude in all the land.

You know what the problem is with making the biggest dude in all the land the Commander-in-Chief? Sooner or later he’s gonna run into a bigger dude. And that’s what happened. Eli’s boss went quaking in his boots to the rear of the line because he was staring down the barrel of an overwhelming challenge.

So you know what Eli did? He quaked in his boots too. I’m talking, Give up now. Better fled than dead.

One day later – one day! – that’s Eli with his shield up, his sword drawn, charging headlong into the enemy’s camp and taking no prisoners. What made the difference?

Eli found somebody else to follow. A leader who gave him the courage to rise to his place of service and calling. And it happened to be his baby brother, David.

Eli is the nickname I gave to Eliab, the oldest son of Jesse. He fought in Saul’s army, and in the face of Goliath’s giant challenge, he had no more courage than his trembling, manipulating king.

What fascinates me about the back story to David’s victory over the giant is the effect it had over the armies of Israel. Because David was a man of courage himself, he gave courage to those he influenced – and he wasn’t even the appointed leader (just the anointed one).

My favorite definition of courage says that courage isn’t the absence of fear, but action in the presence of fear or overwhelming challenges. Some leaders, like Saul, have a way of robbing their followers of the ability to take action. We refer to those people whose courage has been stolen as dis-couraged. And I’ll guarantee you that you know somebody who has become discouraged by the disrepute, disrespect, disappointment, or disregard of a leader. That may even be you.

That doesn’t have to define you or your influence. You can be a courage-giving leader. Building on the elements of C.O.U.R.A.G.E. from the last post, you can offer the people in your realm of influence the will to take massive action in the face of their opportunities and threats.

What is courage-giving leadership made of?

1. Company: Offer them the “ministry of presence.”

David showed up and bowed up, and he wasn’t taking “get out of here” for an answer – even from his big brother Eli. It’s interesting that before David faced the giant, he made the rounds among the soldiers in God’s army. All the while, Saul was holed up somewhere, trying to figure his way out of this mess.

Something transforming happens when leaders arrive on the scene in the face of their constituents’ tough times. And that’s far more important than having all the answers. Just be there.

2. Observation: Offer them a difference in perspective.

Courage-giving leaders help followers observe their “giants” or “mountains” from God’s perspective. While Eli and his pals were squawking, “Did you see how big he is?” David was saying, “Do you see how stupid he is to defy the armies of the living God?

Look. David didn’t deny that the Philistine was huge and scary or that the threat was real. Courage-giving leaders don’t spend their time trying to convince their “army” to live in denial or Fantasyland. But they have a way of helping them look down on their giants, not just up at them.

3. Understanding: Raise their sights and call out their higher purposes.

Fear and discouragement are often the result of narrow, limited vision. Sometimes people are so close to the action that they lose sight of the big picture. The courage-giving leader responds by calling them out to big-picture thinking and purposeful activity. It’s the courage-giving leader who reminds constituents, like David did, that they are working for something much larger than their narrow self-interests. I love those King James words here, “Is there not a cause?”

4. Reflection: Remind them of past successes.

David kept a mental encouragement file of past victories, and they weren’t too shabby – manhandling a lion and a bear and keeping lambs alive in the process. That’s a nice resume builder. But even greater, he reminded Eli and his friends that they were soldiers in God’s army and the Lord was still undefeated. Courage-giving leaders do that, and you can be one. Keep reminding your comrades of their previous successes.

5. Assurance: Give them confidence to withstand criticism.

We learn to let words discourage us at a very early age. The callous, brutal honesty on the playground and the routine clique management of adolescence can wither away anybody’s joy or confidence. And that’s when we begin to discover that the encouragement of our parents is a bit suspect. After all, they’re our parents! They’re supposed to say encouraging things. Unless, of course, the parent is the critic.

Anyway, that’s where the courage-giving leader comes in, speaking words of assurance. Not cheesy slogans. Not platitudes, head pats or back slaps. Instead, they offer calm, confident assurance to team members and peers that they are moving in the right direction.

6. Goals: Keep the target clear and visible.

Courage always has a goal – tangible or intangible – in mind. Courage-giving leaders help their teams establish or re-establish goals, however simple. And then they move toward it. As David was warming up his slingshot, he was quite clear what his goals were – to feed the birds with the dead body of that Philistine and to convince the cowering crowd behind him that the battle was the Lord’s.

That’s what courage-giving leaders do. They clearly, specifically state their intentions, then go about finishing the job. In the process, they persuade an army that their direction is worth following.

7. Expectation: Help them see a desired outcome as normal.

Courage involves certain confident expectations. It responds to challenges with unhesitating faith and uncompromising commitment. Courage-giving leaders have a bias for action, not negotiating settlements and guarantees. And they do so because they expect a positive outcome.

People who study David’s victory over Goliath love to speculate over why he picked up five stones when all he needed was one. Maybe he was just being prepared. Or maybe it was a good day for killing giants (Goliath did have four brothers). Whatever the reason, I think David fully expected to use them successfully. What are you doing to help your team believe?

One last thought. Courage-giving leaders may or may not give great pep talks. David’s was pretty awesome. But they are always willing to go first in facing the unstoppable giants. The simplest way to be a courage-giving leader is to have some courage of your own to share.

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Run to the Battle!

Andy Wood — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 06:23:06 +0000

If you intend to be successful in any area of life, sooner or later you are going to have to have to fight for it. I wish I could tell you that being intentional (a popular darling word) was enough. But it isn’t.

I wish I could prove to you that some simple formula – here a step, there a technique, everywhere a quick-and-easy procedure – would guarantee the fulfillment of your fondest hopes. Can’t do it.

I wish I could assure you that if it was really hard, or lonely, or dangerous, that the idea was certainly not God’s will. If that were true, the Almighty’s got some ‘slpainin’ to do with some people who are now in heaven.

But the truth is, sooner or later, you’re going to have to fight for your family. Or for your testimony. Or for your walk with God. Sooner or later you’re going to have to fight for answered prayer. Yes, answered prayer! Or the advancement of the gospel. Or the safety of one of the world’s most endangered species – American children.

Sometimes when you run to the battlefield you may discover that you are the only one standing there. You may find that you’re surrounded by taunting enemies, and for backup you have a bunch of gossips, critics and spectators – but nobody willing to draw a sword or raise a shield with you.

Still think that cause is worth the fight? David did.

In the familiar story of David and Goliath, the young man after God’s own heart – newly empowered and anointed by the Spirit of God – brought a giant to his knees while the army of the living God looked on in disbelief. What was the difference between David and the rest of the army of Israel? Didn’t they have the same power available to them? Yes. Didn’t they have the same God? Yes. So what did David have that they didn’t?

In the life of David, there was a difference in:

1. Company

When the Israelites saw the man, they all ran from him in great fear. (1 Samuel 17:24).

David hadn’t been surrounded with fear and discouragement for 40 days. Fear is contagious, and so is discouragement. If you are going to fight God’s battles with God’s power, you’d better pay careful attention to the company you keep. Not only should you avoid ungodly influences, I’m suggesting there are some Christians you shouldn’t hang out with.

2. Observation

Now the Israelites had been saying, “Do you see how this man keeps coming out? He comes out to defy Israel….” David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel?” (v. 25-26).

David wasn’t intimidated by the size of his enemies. He had a difference in perspective. To everyone else, he was too big to hit. To David, he was too big to miss. Over and over again in the Bible, the people God used were those who were willing to see the situation from a different perspective.

3. Understanding

Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God? (v. 26).

David responded to a higher purpose. The army saw itself as Saul’s army. David saw them as the armies of the living God. The army saw a fight with Goliath as an opportunity to get wealth, prestige, and marriage in the king’s family. David saw it as a fight for God’s honor. Authentic victory requires a cause worth fighting for that reaches beyond personal gratification – something this generation has made an idol out of.

4. Reflection

Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine” (v. 36-37).

David had never been trained in battle. But he received encouragement from past victories as a shepherd. His army buddies had the same opportunity to be encouraged, but didn’t take advantage of it.

This was the army of the God who had parted the Red Sea, but you didn’t hear anybody here talking about the Red Sea.

This was the army of the God of Joshua, who marched around Jericho seven times. But nobody mentioned Jericho.

This was the army of the God of Samson, who killed a thousand Philistine with a donkey’s jawbone, but nobody was talking about Samson.

One thing I know about you – you are not winless! And God wants to use your past victories to encourage you to fight again!

5. Assurance

David wasn’t discouraged by personal criticism. And it’s a good thing because like anybody who is willing to lay it all on the line, he had his share of it. His brother attacked his motives. The king questioned his experience. The giant laughed at his appearance – so much that he never pulled out his sword. None of that discouraged David – not even his judgmental big brother. If anything, his critics only increased his zeal.

6. Goals

“and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands” 1 Samuel 17:46-47

The reason the vast majority of God’s army stayed away from the battlefield was that they had impotent goals. The same is true for you. They were fighting for the king, or for what was in it for them. Nice ideas, but not enough to stand up to a giant anything. David, on the other hand, was fighting for God’s glory and the faith of Israel. His eye was on the battlefield, but his heart was as big as the world.

7. Expectation

Nine times in one episode, David used the word, will. I will. The Lord will. Then all the world will. David honestly expected to win, because his confidence was in the Lord.

In the kingdom, there is a tendency for you to receive not what you deserve, or what you wish for, but exactly what you expect. Remember those haunting words of Jesus? “According to your faith be it unto you.” Or of Job? “That which I feared greatly has come upon me.” Right now, for better or worse, you are in the process of reaping your faith-driven expectations, no matter who or what your faith is actually in.

Look back over that list again. What was it David had that no one else did? C.O.U.R.A.G.E.

And where does courage come from?

Company that encourages confidence in God.
Observation that gives a God-sized perspective on circumstances.
Understanding of Who it is you’re really fighting for.
Reflection on the past victories as models for future success.
Assurance in the face of personal criticism.
Goals that as great as God’s glory and His love for the world.
Expectation of ultimate victory.

Courage. Isn’t it time that you, in faith, dared to show a little? David had to start with a thick-headed, trash-talking giant. Who or what is defying you?