It can be so hard to make decisions! My stomach used to (and sometimes still does) get into knots trying to decide what I should do in different situations. The following blog post from Jerry Kieschnick, former president of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (a position that surely brings lots of opportunities for difficult decision making!), brings some good insight to this dilemma.
Here’s the quote for today:
“A man would do nothing if he
waited until he could do it so well that no one would find fault with what he
has done.”
– Cardinal Newman (1801-1890), Catholic Theologian
My way of saying that is: “Leaders always disappoint someone!”
It took me a while to figure that out. In my initial days of leadership I thought it should be possible to please everyone with my achievements. I soon discovered the fallacy of that thought.
If one does nothing, he displeases those who think he should be doing something. If one does something, he displeases those who think he should be doing something else.
Jesus displeased people in the church of his day. Luther displeased people in the church of his day.
They both achieved results that even now impact life for time and for eternity!
In our day, Pastors displease people in the church and politicians displease people in the country. It’s not wise for leaders to go out of their way to displease their followers. But displeasure often goes hand in hand with courageous leadership and frequently precedes significant achievement.
So here’s my advice, dear fellow leaders. Put on your big boy britches, buckle up your boots, get on your knees in prayer, exercise your God-given gift of leadership, anticipate disagreement and disappointment from those around you, and achieve much for the world and for the church!
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