React or Respond???

I get to help plan & manage some large events.

Hundreds of hours.

Thousands of people.

Millions of details.

Within that, I try to delegate as much as responsibly possible.

In doing so, I’m willingly giving control of an outcome to someone else (which has been a GREAT way of understanding that there really are multiple outstanding ways of accomplishing a goal…even if it may not happen the way I would do it).

In talking to individuals, as well as groups, who I’ve given leadership responsibilities, I always say something like this…

“At some point, especially during the week of the event, things are going to get crazy.  As leaders, we have a choice to make in those moments.  Will we REACT … or will we RESPOND?

“REACTIONS typically come out of a lack of preparation and functioning from a sense of EMERGENCY, as well as the feelings accompanied by a loss of control.  We get flustered, stressed and unproductive when this happens.  Even worse, it is infectious and could very well cause everyone around us to mirror those same things.  As leaders, we must avoid this at all costs.

“RESPONSES typically come out of proper preparation and functioning from a sense of URGENCY.  We may not have control within certain moments, but we must remain in control of ourselves.  When this happens, we’re able to RESPOND instead of REACT.

Working from a sense of EMERGENCY will inevitably lead to undesired REACTIONS.

Working from a sense of URGENCY will inevitably lead to more desirable RESPONSES.

In January, I read a devotion in a small devotion book (“Jesus Calling”) that had the following statement in it…

“I am much less interested in right circumstances than in right responses to whatever comes your way.”

And that sort of sums it up.

It isn’t about keeping our circumstances neat & tidy.

It isn’t about being/staying in control of everything around us.

It IS about my heart.

How I choose to deal with a situation is a direct reflection of the direction of my mind, heart & spirit.

May I be so in tune with HIM that no matter what happens, I RESPOND in a way that honors Jesus.

Period.

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
    be pleasing in your sight,
    Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 19:14

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:17