|
About
CFCFFL
Who
is the CFCFFL?
The
Movement for Restoration Our
Covenant
Our
Mission and Vision
Our Statement of philosophy
Our
Core Values
Family Ministries Kids
for Family and Life (KFL) Youth
for Family and Life (YFL)
Singles
for Family and Life (SFL)
Handmaids
for Family and Life (HFL)
Servants
for Family and Life (SvFL)
Wish
to JOIN?
The
highest courage is to dare to be yourself in the face of adversity,
choosing right over wrong, ethics over convenience, and truth over
popularity.
Travel the path of integrity without looking back, for THERE IS
NEVER A WRONG TIME TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
-
Bishop Soc Villegas
25 July 2007
|
<< Go
back to Menu
ON
SERVANT LEADERSHIP
Part
2
Servant
Leadership
December
16, 2008
When
things are going well in community, then leaders get along fine. But
when disagreements come, this is where many fail in servant leadership.
But disagreements happen
all the time. In fact, it is good to have disagreements, as long as we
do not become
disagreeable in handling these. Disagreements enable us to sift through
a particular
situation or decision, look at new angles, hear fresh insights, and
challenge our own
thinking about the issue at hand. The result is hopefully a better
solution or decision, being the fruit of different minds and a thorough
discussion.
Perhaps
more importantly, God allows disagreements in order to test the quality
of our servanthood.
When there is no disagreement, then we can be very nice and agreeable.
But when there is someone who opposes what we believe to be right, how
do we react? Do we become defensive? Angry? Do we dig in? Are we
onion-skinned? Do we get hurt? God wants what is hidden to surface, in
order that we might address our own shortcomings and sins.
When
we handle disagreements in the right way, especially in the face of
provocation and
seeming unreasonable opposition, then we are on our way to greater
holiness.
How
do we handle disagreements?
First,
when someone disagrees, do not dismiss it outright, but thank God that
someone cares
enough to try to come up with a better move or decision. Second, be
really open to the input, looking at it as possibly coming from the
Lord. Then go and have a good discussion.
When
having your discussion, here are things that you should NOT do:
-
Be
defensive. If you genuinely welcome any input, then you do not have to put
up any defenses. If you stand up for your position simply because you already
articulated that position, then that is pride.
-
Be
onion-skinned. Do not take a dissenting opinion negatively. Look at it as
being given not as a personal affront but out of a genuine desire to help out.
-
Pull rank,
in case you are speaking to a subordinate. He is your brother, and the
Lord can speak to him as much as to you.
-
Walk out.
You may not come to an agreement, and the situation can become a bit
heated, but be committed to working things out. There is always the right way
which is the Lord’s way. If things cannot as yet be resolved, shelve it for the moment
(whether for a little while or over some days) and return to it after cooling down and after praying.
Or bring in others who can help in resolving the impasse.
-
Quit your
service or even the community, if things do not go your way. Do not
penalize and turn your back on others, including the Lord and the community,
because of your conflict with just one person.
On
the other hand, here are some things that you should DO:
-
Be pure as
a dove but wise as a serpent. That is, be meek and humble and pure in thought, truly open to contrary opinions, but also fight for what you
believe to be
right, arguing your case strongly.
-
Look on the
other party as truly a brother, committed to you and to the well-being of the community. So keep cool, knowing that you are both on the same
side. Do not judge him to be a trouble-maker (he might be, but it is not up to you to
judge).
-
Look to our
pastoral structure and system in community, which provides for ways and means of making decisions in the face of contrary views. If the system is
working, be willing to subordinate your view to the decision of a higher authority.
Always
remember that we are appointed as leaders in order to serve the Master and
to carry
out His agenda, not ours. We should aggressively stand for what we believe
to be right
and true, but we must always consider that we could be wrong, or that
there could be
a better way than ours. Then we rejoice that there are brethren, whom the
Lord provides,
who can help keep us on the right track.
God
bless you.
|
