Making Yourself Indispensable 4

 Culture, Jesus, Leadership, Missional, Reading  1 Response »
Feb 272009
 

The Law of Influence

We live in a dog-eat-dog world where people generally look out for their own personal interests.  As a follower of Jesus, I believe that we all inherit a sinful nature that causes us to put our own interests ahead of others.  If we want to make ourselves indispensable in the workplace and in other important areas of life, we must learn The Law of Influence.  Authors Burg and Mann state in their valuable book The Go-Giver that “Your influence is determined by how abundantly you place other people’s interests first.” 

Networking with people is a well known practice for expanding your business interests through developing relationships with a purpose.  Most often the purpose is selfish and agenda driven toward our own interests.  Burg and Mann challenge us to build a network of genuine friendships that transcend your business agendas and develop friendships with people that genuinely “know you, like you and trust you“.

When we genuinely invest in others and put their interests first without “keeping score”, we will unknowingly be investing in an “army of personal walking ambassadors“. (pg. 66)  As a result of our investment into other people’s interests, we will have a steady flow of referrals back to us that will keep us busy. 

Jesus taught us by example to put other’s interest ahead of our own.  The Apostle Paul refers to Jesus example.

Philippians 2:3-5 (NIV)
3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.
4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
 

 Posted by at 10:41 am

Making Yourself Indispensable 3

 Culture, Financial Freedom, Leadership, Reading  No Responses »
Feb 242009
 

The Law of Compensation

If you want to make an impact with your life that transcends simply “making a living” and if you want to make yourself indispensable to your employer or those you are accountable to, you put into practice the Law of Compensation.  Burg and Mann, the authors of The Go-Giver, explain the Law of Compensation this way:  “Your income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them.” 

How we invest our time, our skills and talents and how we invest our resources will determine our return on the investment.  The focus in distributing our resources must be on people!  We can trust that if we put our focus in the right place, our own welfare will be taken care of. 

The Apostle Paul speaks of this proper focus in a couple of his letters.

2 Corinthians 9:6 (NIV)
6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

Galatians 6:7 (NIV)
7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

You will receive a great return on your investment if you invest into the life of people by serving them.  We should get our minds off of making money sometimes and focus on serving people and making a difference.  Our income and personal welfare will grow in abundance based on our investment in others. 
 


 

 Posted by at 11:36 pm

Making Yourself Indispensable 2

 Culture, Faith, Leadership, Reading  No Responses »
Feb 222009
 

The Law of Value

If you want to become indispensable in a time when it is hard to have a lot of security in your job, you can put into practice the first of five “laws” that make you “recession-proof”.  It is called the “Law of Value”.  Burg and Mann, the authors of The Go-Giver  state the law of value in “your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment”. 

One of my mentors taught me that most people focus on “making a living” rather than “making a life”.  In “making a life” your focus is on values you choose to make a part of your lifestyle rather than focusing on making money or your job as simply a source of income.  

Are you adding value to people in your daily life?  Are you looking for ways to bring joy to those around regardless of what they pay you? 

You give to others and add value to their lives, not as a strategy, but rather as a way of life.

Matthew 5:40-42 (NIV)
40 And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.
41 If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
 

 Posted by at 10:39 pm

Sunday Reflections and Discipleship Notes

 Church at the Grove, Random Thoughts  2 Responses »
Feb 222009
 

Big Idea:
God’s Plan included Jesus from the Beginning.

Memory Verse:
Genesis 3:21 (NIV)
21 The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.

Random Thoughts:

  • Man!  What a cold and windy day! 
  • Our crowd was down a little.  I don’t know if it was the weather or the end of the holiday week, but still way up from the same week last year! 
  • It was a weird day for me.  I was totally preoccupied with my cousin’s wife in the hospital and the troubling funeral yesterday.  I felt like my message totally hit the floor before it reached any ears.  It felt like it really tanked, but sometimes God uses His Word in spite of me.
  • I took a day and a half sabbatical for prayer and planning this week.  It was awesome to spend some time completely focused on God and His Word.  There are some awesome things coming up in the near and distant future.  I am pumped about it all!
  • I am really burdened for a bunch of marriages really struggling. 
  • I will be with Nathan and Shane Smith and my beautiful bride at a conference with our friends at Mountain Lake Church in Cumming, GA for the next two days.  Looking forward to a time of learning and incredible worship.  I am looking forward to re-fueling. 
  • Was it me, or did anyone else notice Craig Story wasn’t very talkative today?  Wow!  I tried to talk to him and he wouldn’t answer me.  LOL.  Craig hasn’t been able to talk in a couple of days.  I know there is a name for it but I can’t begin to spell it.  Enjoy it Amy!
  • You wouldn’t believe what happened when I was picking the signs up after our gathering.  The wind was blowing sooo hard.  I put one sign in the back of my truck and went to get the other.  I turned around and to my shock, the wind had picked up the sign in my truck and blown in 30 feet in the air and it was heading toward Hwy 81!  I ran and barely caught it before it was in the middle of the road.  I never knew church planting would be so exciting.  (insert sarcasm here)
  • Pray, invite a friend, see you next Sunday!

 

 Posted by at 10:20 pm
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