Guiding Principles aMuzing

I've been considering what to write about Guiding Principles for this week's paper. There are several that jump to mind readily and maybe those are sufficient. It would seem that principles that I already operate by might be good candidates, but then again... maybe not.

Some of the Guiding Principles that are important to me are:

Genuine concern for others (Love). Being the primary attribute of God and a direct commandment of God, having a genuine concern or love for others is a prerequisite for many other parts of our relationships. We read in the 5 Dysfunctions book about Trust being critical to the success of a Team. Trust is not built if there is not a genuine concern for, respect for, or care for the other person. We can tell ourselves that "we're all equal" all day long, but until we actually belive that we are, no action of substance will follow. When we choose to have genuine concern for others, we tend to act in their interests.

Love God with your heart, mind, and soul; and others as yourself. (Dt. 6:4, Lk 10:27). Of course the greatest commandment, as the summation of all the law and the profits (according to Jesus) is to Love God with all that we are. If we choose to put God's purposes ahead of our own goals, vain ambition, pride, dreams, and others, we will find ourselves naturally taking care of those around us and under us (peers and subordinates). As OMAL discusses in relation to Chaordic Leadership, we need to "manage up," that is, understand the expectations and needs of those above us in the hierarchacal ladder and work to meet those expectations. Well, certainly God is the highest on the ladder as it were, so if I live to please Him by faith (Heb. 11:6) then I know that He will work in me (Phil. 1:6) to meet the expectations of others and will take care of my personal needs. He also tells us to love others as ourselves. We have a pretty easy time loving ourselves it seems, however turning our love toward others, who may not even be lovable, is a real mark of knowing the kind of love God has and loves us with. In other words, genuine lovers of God, will be lovers of people over self.

Do everything as unto the Lord (Ga. 3:23). This is a very important work ethic for me. If I do everything like I was doing it for Jesus I can guarantee that my behavior and thoughts would change. This continual change that I go through this as one committed to Him and to His work ideas, is something that defines me. It elicits ideas of quality, perfection, maturity, completeness, committedness, right motivations, integrity, how hard I work, and so much more. If I do everything as unto the Lord I won't get caught in failures that I know are not pleasing to God, and it's likely I will embrace and practice Biblical perspectives and leading of the Holy Spirit more readily. This also becomes an act of worship - I can worship Jesus anywhere with all that I have to do.

In everything give thanks (Phl. 4:6)
Humility (Isa. 57:15)
Positive optimistic attitude
Empathy, Compassion (Mat. 18:33), Comfort (2Cor. 1:3)
Self Control (Gal. 5:23)
Be a living sacrifice (Rom. 12:1)
Service and Commitment to others (Php 2:17), Servanthood (Mat. 20:26)
Integrity, Conscientiousness, & Trustworthiness
Stewardship (Lk 12:42-28)

For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict. (Titus 1:7-9)

Well, that's a good start on this. I have more that is written elsewhere on this but will continue a later time. Also, I want to talk next about the readings I've done in the OMAL (On Missiona nd Leadership), The Path, and the 5 Dysfunctions of a Team Workbook.