Month: May 2022

May 25, 2022

A significant part of God’s flourishing world was the marvelous and diverse animal kingdom. God quickly gives Adam an assignment in relation to the animal world.

¹⁹ Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. ²⁰ So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals (Genesis 2:19-20, NIV).

The assignment God gave to Adam is profound in so many regards. It sets him apart from the animal world and prepares the stage for God to create a companion suitable for him. It demonstrates God’s expectation that Adam was not a bystander; he was to rule over the creation. This assignment also reveals that God expected Adam to grow and develop. There was work to do and God expected Adam to learn and grow. Scholars and scientists debate over the actual number of animals that Adam needed to name and it’s not likely that he had to name all of the currently known 1.2 million species of animals. Nevertheless, the task was not an assignment for a few minutes or a couple of hours! Serving leaders observe that the expectation of growth is an essential ingredient for a flourishing world.  

Expecting growth accelerates flourishing by acknowledging the intent.

God brings the animals to Adam and expected Adam to name them. God had created Adam with the capacity to name the animals but now Adam had to grow into this potential and come up with names! God could have given the names to Adam and asked him to memorize them but He wanted Adam to grow. Growth is baked into our DNA and is a natural expectation. We enjoy the clumsy efforts of infants as they learn to walk but we expect them to grow and mature. We anticipate the advancement of knowledge and maturity that comes as children progress through their formal education. And this design for growth is intended to continue our entire lives. Serving leaders acknowledge God’s intent for human growth.  

 Expecting growth accelerates flourishing by anticipating the impact.

God must have smiled as He watched Adam thinking and then speaking out a name! And He imagined a world filled with men and women each stretching and growing, learning to master their domain. But sadly, many people today simply show up at work for a paycheck, not expecting to change or grow. They join churches expecting only to attend meetings and be inspired. Serving leaders look at those they serve and not only see who they are now, but see what they could become. They anticipate the growth of the entry level worker to become a manager. They expect the newest member to grow into a future leader. They dream of their organization being filled with people who are fully alive, learning and growing in their capacity to shape their world.

Expecting growth accelerates flourishing by accepting the implications.

Serving leaders also realize that God has placed them in a position of leadership to accelerate the process of growth. They first make sure that they are growing themselves, continually seeking to improve and learn. Then they observe that God deliberately gave Adam an assignment to help him grow. Serving leaders take responsibility to serve those they lead by giving challenging assignments that will stretch the capacity of their followers. They encourage, mentor, coach and guide others to reach their full potential. And, like God must have done, they watch with a satisfied smile on their face as they observe others growing and flourishing around them.

For further reflection and discussion:

How has the intent of expecting growth been distorted in your context? Reflect specifically about the thinking in this area in your culture, your family, and in the organization where you lead. What impact has this thinking had on you as a leader? In what ways do you need to adjust your thinking to align with God’s intent? In what ways are you growing yourself as a leader?

Reflect on what the impact would be if everyone in your organization would fully grasp and live out what it means to expect growth. Write at least three reflections.

What action steps will you take as a leader to expect growth in your home, organization or community? Choose which of these areas you will focus on and then list 2 or 3 specific steps you will take and dates for when you will take the actions.

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

In the next issue, we’ll look at another ingredient of a flourishing world: Accountability is Natural.

May 11, 2022

God created a lovely world that was flourishing, alive, and good in every regard. But then, for the first time, something in this world was described as “not good.”

The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him” (Genesis 2:18, NIV).

What was “not good” in the world? Man was created with intrinsic value since he was made in the image of God. Adam was good. But it was “not good” for him to be alone. He was created for relationship with others. We often see this principle as the foundation of marriage since God created a woman to meet this need. But it also points to something much deeper in God’s design, our need for relationships. God was so intent on making sure that we recognize this ingredient for a flourishing world that He allowed a glimpse of what was not good, a person alone! Serving leaders reflect on God’s plan for honoring relationships as a part of His flourishing world.

Honoring relationships accelerates flourishing by acknowledging the intent.

God’s intent was for relationships with others to be a defining characteristic of being human. The first man and first woman were brought into relationship with each other as well as into relationship with God. He designed us to live, work, and walk together with others. Even the most introverted person needs others! It’s not a surprise that solitary confinement is considered one of the most severe punishments or even torture. We are not created to be alone! God’s intent was for each of us to find meaning, value, and purpose in relationship to others. In our families of origin, He designed relationships in which we form identity, a sense of belonging, and value. As we relate to others, we are able to build capacity for deep, authentic relationships that bring joy and meaning to what we do.

 Honoring relationships accelerates flourishing by anticipating the impact.

Sin brought so much pain and brokenness to relationships that many have concluded that it may be better to be alone. And some cultures value independence over interdependence. But serving leaders recognize that honoring relationships is a part of God’s design. They see their business, church, family, and community as places that God intends for people to thrive with strong, healthy relationships. They envision a world in which strong teams work together in harmony to accomplish great things.

Honoring relationships accelerates flourishing by accepting the implications.

Serving leaders acknowledge that there are many leadership implications to honoring relationships. First, they seek to enter into and maintain strong healthy personal relationships. They seek out authentic friendships and resist the temptation to isolate themselves from others. Then, they seek to lead those they serve into healthy relationships. They build teams and lead them through the process of discovering how to balance honesty and kindness.  They look for the person isolated outside the circle and seek to pull them in. They encourage the quiet people to speak out and find their voice. Serving leaders acknowledge that accomplishment of the vision will only happen when relationships are honored. So, they encourage time not just to accomplish tasks but also to build relationships. Serving leaders look for results, but they don’t overlook relationships. They create environments in which people flourish together in strong, healthy relationships.

Serving leaders create a flourishing world around them by honoring relationships.

For further reflection and discussion:

How has the intent of honoring relationships been distorted in your context? Reflect specifically about the thinking in this area in your culture, your family, and in the organization where you lead. What impact has this thinking had on you as a leader? In what ways do you need to adjust your thinking to align with God’s intent?

Reflect on what the impact would be if everyone in your organization would fully grasp and live out what it means to honor relationships. What is the current level of health in relationships on your team? Write at least three reflections.

What action steps will you take as a leader to honor relationships in your home, organization, or community? Choose which of these areas you will focus on and then list 2 or 3 specific steps you will take and dates for when you will take the actions.

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler In the next issue, we’ll examine another ingredient of a flourishing world: Growth is Expected