Most of us find the start of a new year refreshing. We’re glad to be able to turn the page on what has been and look forward to a blank canvas where we can paint new masterpieces. I’m looking forward to 2017 for many reasons, most of all because it is a fresh opportunity to practice leadership with people I know and love, and to meet new people who may well become part of the New Life Family. Whether you lead a church, a business, a family, a team at work, or whatever your leadership capacity what excites you about 2017?
I hope that question raised your pulse rate a little, perhaps caused your pupils to dilate and your mind to race. At New Life, we have started the new year with a month-long focus on prayer. Since prayer is communicating with God, and we exist to share, grow and live the new life of Jesus Christ with the world–one person at a time, we want to make certain we’re both talking with and listening to our chief leader as we embark on the new year.
One of the things I have already been reminded of in the first few days of 2017, is it doesn’t cost anything to be positive, enthusiastic and encouraging, and the rewards of being so are great. On Monday and Tuesday mornings I stood at the front door of the church building between 6:15-6:30 welcoming folks to our 6:30-7:30 am prayer gathering. I greeted each one with a warm welcome, a word of encouragement, or a thank you, and in every case the person’s face brightened, their posture straightened, and whether they were already in a good mood, or were looking groggy, they came more alive.
This is an important leadership reminder for all of us: As we lead, the people we lead need to know we care about them, and care about how they are doing. The great leaders of history have always cared both about their cause and those they led in achieving the goals of the cause. As John Maxwell has said, “People buy into the leader before they buy into the vision.” What are you doing to ensure that the people you lead know you care about them and are concerned with their best interests.
Another aspect I love about having a fresh, new year in front of us is it’s a great time to make a break with any behaviors or attitudes that have held us back. While we’ll still need to do the hard work of building new habits and attitudes to replace the old ones that have held us back, it’s always easier to start over when it feels like we’re at the starting line of a new year, than in the middle of one. Whether it’s just a matter of psychology or semantics, the reality of a new year makes mid-course corrections seem like a better idea.
I haven’t mentioned making resolutions in the new year, mainly for two reasons: 1) I have never found resolutions to be all that helpful in my life, and 2) A University of Scranton study of a few years back showed that only 8% of folks who make New Year’s resolutions actually keep them for the entire year. As a follower of Jesus, I prefer to make commitments to Him and call on the Holy Spirit to help me live them out than to resolve to do something different in my life. My resolve never seems to measure up to the need for change in my life, but when I couple it with the power of God in and through the Holy Spirit the difference is tangible.
I recognize some of you don’t believe in God or don’t believe God gets involved personally in our lives. My prayer for you is that you will come to know God and His love for your and His power to bring change in your life in this New Year of 2017. There’s nothing better than leading when you know that leadership is anchored in the firm foundation of God in Jesus Christ. Here’s to new beginnings, and to a great 2017!
Here’s to leading better by using the fresh start of a new year to make commitments to change in areas we need to grow–today!