"Leader-Ship & You”

“Leader-ship & You”

6/3/2007 - Marsing, ID

Ricardo Rodriguez – pastor_rr@yahoo.com

Prov 29:18

“Where there is no vision, the people perish…”

“18Sin visión (profética) el pueblo perecerá…”

Throughout history there have been many leaders, good or bad, who have made a great impact in our World. If we were to discuss great accomplishments of their time, the Titanic is one of them.

Facts about the Titanic:

• Titanic, the ship, was one of the largest movable objects ever built, measuring in at 883 feet long (1/6 of a mile), 92 feet wide, 46,328 tons, and 104 feet high.

• The ship cost an unprecedented $7.5 million to build-that translates to $400 million today.

• Titanic boasted electric elevators, a swimming pool, a squash court, a Turkish Bath, and a gymnasium.

• A first class (parlor suite) ticket on Titanic cost $4,350, which translates into $90,000 in 2006 USD.

• The Titanic was designed to hold 32 lifeboats, though only 20 were on board; White Star management was concerned that too many boats would sully the aesthetic beauty of the ship.

• The ship took 3 years to build.

• It took the ship approximately 2 hours, 40 minutes to sink.

(http://www.infoplease.com/spot/titanic.html)

When we talk about leadership, we can sometimes relate to what happened in the Titanic. Sometimes we think, I wish I would have done this differently, or I wish I hadn’t said that.

The truth is we can learn from our mistakes and that in itself is a great characteristic of Leadership.

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

Thomas A. Edison, (attributed)

Character – A Christlike Character

Prov 20:11

“Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.”

“11Aun el muchacho es conocido por sus hechos, Si su obra fuere limpia y recta.”

“The character of even a child can be known by the way he acts-- whether what he does is pure and right.”

1. Character Is More Than Talk.

Anyone can say they have integrity but• action is the true indicator.

Your character determines who you are.•

James 2:18

“But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”

18KJV: Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

_______

18SpaRV: Pero alguno dirá: Tú tienes fe, y yo tengo obras: muéstrame tu fe sin tus obras, y yo te mostraré mi fe por mis obras.

2. Talent Is A Gift, But Character Is A Choice.

There are a lot of things in our life that we have no control over – We don’t get to pick our parents, our upbringing, our talents, our IQ but we do choose our character.•

In fact, we create it – every time we make choices.

Deut 30:19

"I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.”

Prov 1:28-30

(28) "Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently, but they will not find me. (29) Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD, (30) They would have none of my counsel and despised my every rebuke.

Prov 3:31

“Do not envy the oppressor, and choose none of his ways; Will you choose the easy way or the right way?”

3. Character Brings Lasting Success With People.

Lifestyle evangelism is all about relationships.

Good character will open up doors for lasting relationships with those around you.

1Thes 5:22

“Abstain from all appearance of evil.”

22SpaRV: Apartaos de toda especie de mal.

2 Cor 6:3

“We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed.”

Luke 2:52

“And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”

4. People Cannot Rise Above The Limitations Of Their Character.

Have you ever seen highly talented people fall apart when they reach a certain level of success? The key to that phenomenon is character.

Success without a good foundation of character is bound for failure.

The 4 A’s – Arrogance, Aloneness, destructive Adventure-seeking or Adultery.

What can we do to improve our Character?

BRING IT HOME

1. Search For The Cracks.

Look at every aspect of your life; Your relationship with God, your spouse, your children, your peers, your employer.

Identify short cuts and short comings in those aspects of your life and write them down. Pray about each one.

2. Look For Patterns.

Examine your response to this search. What patterns of weakness do you see.