Principle of the Path by Andy Stanley

I want to have a healthy marriage, so I think I'll flirt with my secretary.

I want to be financially secure, so I'm going to rack up some consumer credit buying things I can't really afford.

By this time next month I want to lose 5 pounds, so go ahead and supersize that.

I want to get into a great college on a scholarship so I think I'll party tonight instead of studying for that test tomorrow.

Recently I had the opportunity to read a really great book by pastor and leader Andy Stanley called The Principle of the Path. This book reveals a very simple principle that we all know to be true - Direction, not intentions, determines destination. Andy explains the incredible disconnect so many of us have between what we say we want to happen, and what we actually do about it.

It's a quick read and really simple to understand. As a pastor myself, this book has given me a great way to talk to people about the connection between our choices and the circumstances we find ourselves in on a day to day basis. I believe this simple principle could transform the way you and I think about the choices we all face every day.

If you are finding yourself frustrated with your present circumstances and want future decisions to lead to better results, then I would highly recommend you grab a copy of this book.

(Disclaimer: Booksneeze gave me a free copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.)

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The blog that wasn't...

Yesterday I posted a blog, that I then immediately deleted. Here's why - it wasn't anything controversial really, I wasn't calling anyone out, and I wasn't going on a theological rant or anything like that. Actually, it was quite the opposite - it was a short video from the Office, previewing this week's episode. This week Pam and Jim are having their baby, and there was a funny scene where Jim is freaking out. I resonated with his emotions - as my wife is probably going to have a baby in the next two weeks. Of course, in the middle of this clip was some pretty typical Office humor, which by the way I laughed at.

However, the reason for deleting it was not out of a legalism that this was somehow bad or evil (in fact I posted the link above), but that it suddenly occurred to me that not everyone finds that funny. In fact, to some people it may have even been offensive. And as a leader of an organization, a pastor of a church, I suddenly felt the weight of that.

Now, the specifics of the Office aside, I find myself today wrestling with the bigger issue here. How do wisdom and authenticity interact and relate, particularly for a leader? I long to be inwardly exactly who I am outwardly. But here's the deal - as a pastor and a leader I don't simply represent myself. I know of other leaders who have said things publicly that made things difficult for their organization and/or the people associated with it. My guess is that those leaders would probably have guarded their words a little more if they had it to do over again. And particularly with the internet, once it's out there, it's out there forever.

I'm a pretty big fan of the book of Proverbs in the Bible. All throughout this ancient text are warnings about controlling your tongue, holding back, guarding your words. Here are a few:

He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin. - 13:3

Every prudent man acts out of knowledge, but a fool exposes his folly. - 13:16

He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity. - 21:23

Where do you come down on this? Do you "just be you" and let the chips fall where they may in the name of authenticity, or is there a responsibility that rests upon a leader to show a little prudence? Is it being inauthentic to filter yourself, or is it wisdom?

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Trust me

I was reading a very familiar proverb today when something occurred to me that I never noticed before. It comes from Proverbs 3:5-6 in the Old Testament of the Bible. It says this:

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight."

You see, I've always pictured trust as being one of things we do when, based upon the facts at hand, we make an intellectual decision to go along with the situation at hand. We decide to trust, and in doing so, we trust with our heads. But today I noticed something different. This particular verse says to trust "with all [our] heart." Our hearts are the center of our will. It's the place where we sit on the throne. It's definitely an area of decision making, but it's not an intellectual decision per se. It's a decision to place our will in submission to someone or something else. We "trust" when we submit our will. Solomon (the writer of Proverbs) places this trust in direct contrast to "our own understanding." He knows that all too often we want to fall back on our own wisdom, our own experience, our own understanding. Trust is difficult. Trust is required when we don't have all the answers, when things don't make sense, or when things are outside of our control.

The other thing I find interesting here is this: Solomon is said to be the wisest man who ever lived. And yet Solomon is saying that we shouldn't lean on our own understanding. If anyone could have done some leaning on their own wisdom you would think it would be Solomon. Which basically tells me, I'm in trouble if I think I can do life on my own.

I love the promise here that if we trust God, and acknowledge Him in all our ways, he will make our paths straight. He'll clear the road. He'll take care of us. I've experienced that so many times. The times of biggest stress in my life are when I look around and realize that I'm depending on myself instead of Him.

How about you? What do you think of trust coming from the heart? What do you think that looks like?

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Big Decision

I'm really wrestling lately with a decision that I have to make regarding Story Church. At some point, we have to pick a location - a spot that we will sort of set up shop and seek to impact the area around us. I'm torn though. I love the downtown area, and the proximity to Duke and the opportunity that gives us for ministry to students. And yet, it feels like the area that we live is ripe for a church plant. There are several newer housing developments, very few churches, and no one who is really doing anything new. I know that no matter where we end up, God will use us. My heart and my vision has been to have an influence on the city, and on the campus. But I'm beginning to wonder if that's a bigger vision than where we are at right now. And I wonder if that is my vision, or if it's God's. So I'm going to be seeking quite a bit of wisdom in the coming weeks. Please pray for me and for Story Church as we seek God's direction for us. And help me out with something - how do you make big decisions? How does God speak to you? Do you do anything differently when you are intentionally seeking His voice for something specific?

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