An office store claims to have an easy button. Their ad says that they have made it easy to do get all the things you will need to run your business from their store. They seem to say that it will make running your business easy.
There are no easy buttons if you want to make a significant difference. Each and every significant thing you will do will take some effort on your part. Not all of the things you must do will be things you like to do. True effort must be made to do what you must.
First you have to show up. Lots of businesses thought they could run their businesses out of their home offices. They claimed they could run these businesses in their pajamas. This gives a false impression about the business. If you don't have a definite to-do list, a definite starting time and a definite time of availability, you will have a definite failure.
Failing to show up often results in waiting to act until there is a crisis. The problem that can be put off will be put off unless effort is made to show up and do something about it.
Showing up also reveals how serious you are about what you say. You are sending a negative message when you say that you are a believer yet infrequently attend church. You are sending a negative message to your customers when you claim you give great service but never show up for that service.
Second you have to stand up. You must know what you stand for. A national airline once received a letter from a customer who said he would not fly that airline again if they did not provide him a meal and an assigned seat. I understand the airline wrote him back to say, "We'll miss you." They knew what their business was and they were not going to waiver because someone complained.
Standing up means you know what you stand for. It means that you will not please everyone. It means that you will have strong principles and you are not shy about sharing them. You follow them because they make you what you are. You follow them or you will go out of business.
A church needs to say that it exists for the people it has not reached. This means that the privilege of membership is found in serving not being served. When the church fails to stand up for these principles it will lose its mission and slowing go out of business.
Third, you need to speak up. You cannot be the silent leader. You must cast the vision to others. You have to say what is right and what is wrong.
You should not try to send messages through others. You should not point out what's wrong but speak up to say what is wrong and what will make it right. Watch those carefully who only point out the negative but give no solutions. They are not true leaders. They simply pass on what others have told them to do.
Not everyone will love you if you say what you believe is right or wrong. Recently Miss California did that and the attack on her is unrelenting. Evil will always tell you to shut up because you are not perfect. It will say that you are judging others. Remember they are judging you when they claim you shouldn't have said what you did.
Fourth, you must hold up. You should hold up those around you. Your business, school and church would do better if you would hold up those around you. Give encouragement where it is due. Never neglect to do so because this is a way that you show up, stand up and speak up for those around you.
It is not easy doing these four things. You invite criticism when you stand for something. You may be attacked because you have not said that anything goes. However, you will never be significant without strong beliefs which you will show up, stand up, speak up and hold up others for.
I know your church needs someone who will do these things. I know your business needs someone who will do these things. Yes, your family, country, city and community needs someone who will do these things.
Stop looking for the easy chair. Real significant living won't be found in it.
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