I’ve heard that phrase in advertisements for decades. You probably have, too. The announcer extols the virtues of a product that is “superior to any other.” And then he intones, “Why settle for less?”

What is amazing is how many times we do settle for less. Not just on consumer products but in how we live and how we serve the Lord. Less than the best.

Phil Cooke recently wrote on our current culture and the things that keep us from holding up a high standard for ourselves, our ministry work, and those we lead. Among the things he listed were these:

The Fear of Offending

In a culture that values being politically correct and avoiding offense, there’s a hesitancy to give critical feedback or point out flaws. Constructive criticism or holding individuals to high standards might be perceived as harsh or confrontational, leading to a reluctance to push for excellence.

Mediocrity in the Name of Kindness

The desire to be ‘nice’ often translates to accepting mediocrity rather than demanding excellence. Settling for average or ‘good enough’ becomes the norm to avoid potentially hurting someone’s feelings or causing discomfort.

Embracing the Average

The fear of being labeled as ‘mean’ or ‘unpleasant’ often leads to a culture that rewards mediocrity. Embracing and celebrating average performance over striving for excellence sets a standard that’s lower than what is truly achievable.

Then Phil nailed it when he said, “…when we stop inspiring excellence in our team, we’re undermining everyone’s potential.”

Settling for less than the best has long-term consequences, not just a short-term deficit. If we don’t hold to a high standard, we are pulling down the potential of each member of our team.

This is even more critical when we apply this to the personal and spiritual. Do we settle for less in our relationship with the Lord? Do we offer less than our best in our service to Christ? Do we compare our offering…our lives, and our service…to what Christ did on the cross? God gave His very best…His son Jesus…so we might have fellowship with Him for all eternity. What is our commitment to Almighty God? Oswald Chambers called it “Our Utmost for His Highest.”

Paul wrote to the believers at Ephesus, commending them for their faith and pointing out what God did for them and for us.

I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him.

Let your heart be flooded with God’s greatness poured out for you. And let your work be a reflection of the excellence the Lord has shown you…so others may understand God’s great love. In Jesus’ words from Matthew 5:16…

…let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

God’s best,

If you are a parent, you have heard that phrase over and over. “I’m bored.” It doesn’t matter that they have toys all over their room and homework to do. They seem to forget all of that, and they don’t know what to do with themselves.

Boredom is expected in a child. But what happens when it is you saying you’re bored? I know, if you are a leader, you are usually saying, “I’ve got too much on my plate to get it all done.” But sometimes, even amid the busyness, boredom sets in. What do you do? One writer said, “Life is not an action movie.” There are times when our routines and activities don’t stir our hearts or our minds. We need to take action.

Fred Smith, a mentor to business and ministry leaders, says boredom is the “dry rot” of the soul. According to Smith, here is how it happens:

“It comes when we feel that what we’re doing isn’t worth the time, nor is it interesting, worthwhile, or challenging. Boredom can be the result of living too efficiently and less effectively.”

That caught my attention. Living too efficiently and less effectively. Systems are great. Routines are valuable. But over time, these can lead to boredom with our activities. This is especially true for creative people, creative thinkers. Fred Smith has some suggestions for overcoming this boredom in our lives.

1. Break up the repetition of life. Sometimes the simplest changes will help us use our minds rather than relying on automatic habits. Routine is needed for efficiency, but life is more than good time management.

2. Add something good to your life. Start a new activity, begin a new hobby, see the old things in new ways, start new associations. Enroll in a course, sign up for a film series, symphony concert, summer theater, athletic event, Bible study – but do something good!

3. Take something bad out of your that needs correcting. The sedentary life is a good place to start making a change.

Fred Smith talked about a tradition in Italy that I recently read about. Some Italians, particularly in southern Italy, launch their celebrations on New Year’s Eve by throwing old pots, pans, clothes, appliances, and even furniture out the window. It’s meant to symbolize “letting go” of things in the past that are not good for you to hold onto. I’m not sure if your neighbors would like that, but it is a great mental image for ways to fight boredom in your life.

The Bible often talks about “new things.” In a message through Isaiah to the Jewish people, the Lord reminded them of all He had done for them in the past. Maybe they were bored with the good things in their lives. God said he had a cure for that.

For I am about to do something new.
See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
I will make a pathway through the wilderness.
I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.
Isaiah 43:19 NLT

Recognize that when you are bored with the daily routine, you are the one who can pull yourself out of that dry rot of the soul and step onto the vibrant path the Lord has already provided for you. Something new! Try it.

God’s best,

When I was a kid, we would gather all the other kids in the neighborhood and play outdoor games. One of my favorites was Hide and Seek. The name says it all. One person had to close their eyes while everyone else found a place to hide. Soon, the designated “seeker” would yell out, “Ready or not, here I come.” Then, he or she would begin to look for the people who were hiding. Simpler days back then, for sure.

Sometimes, on our personal journeys, we want to yell out, “Wait, I’m not ready!” God puts a challenge before us, and we want to know more details before we are willing to commit. We aren’t ready, and we aren’t going.

Pastor and author Mark Batterson says that is bad thinking. Using the life of Abraham as an example, Batterson says we have it all wrong.

“You’ll never be ready. You’ll never be ready to get married. You’ll never be ready to have kids. You’ll never be ready to start a business or go back to school or move to the mission field…. You’ll never have enough faith, enough cash, or enough courage.”

Mark Batterson goes on to say, “I never have been, and I’m sure I never will be, ready for anything God has called me to do.”

The writer of Hebrews points out how Abraham lived is how we should live our life of faith. When God called Abraham, “He went without knowing where he was going” (Hebrews 11:8 NLT). If that were us today, we would likely want a long-term plan before we stepped out in faith.

Does that mean we shouldn’t plan or use our wisdom and experience in our long-term decision-making? Not at all. We don’t need to take a thoughtless or prayerless approach on our spiritual journey. But it does mean that we need to be ready to move on whatever revelation the Lord shares with us.

Batterson says we need to take on the attitude, “Why not?” Dare to dream. Dare to take God at His word, without knowing the whole story. If you spend all your time getting ready, you may miss the wonderful adventure that the Lord has for you.

The best illustration of this in my personal life was launching MEDIA Alliance International. At a time when many of my friends were retiring, heading to the golf course, or hitting the road in an RV, I sensed God leading me to start this nonprofit ministry. It meant we would have to raise all the resources. We would have to start from scratch designing ministry with worldwide impact. And we would do it with no staff. On paper (and in some people’s minds) it didn’t make sense. I guess in my heart I was saying, “Why not?” OK, there could have been many reasons why not. But I didn’t let those things deter me from what I sensed the Lord wanted me to do. Gratefully, my wife Judy was in full agreement. And there were others who encouraged me as we took the first steps. Trusting in God’s provision overrode the fear that could have stopped me.

Ten years later, by God’s direction, MEDIA Alliance works with dynamic ministry partners in over forty countries and has virtual offices in four key regions of the world. Fifteen thousand Christians in media ministries have been trained and encouraged as they serve, often in challenging places.

If we are not careful, says Batterson, we become so afraid of doing the wrong thing that it keeps us from doing the right thing. Abraham didn’t know where he was going. He didn’t know what would be there when he arrived. But his focus was on following the Lord. Abraham was obedient to the revelation God had given him. And the writer of Hebrews puts him in the Hall of Fame of the Lord’s faithful servants.

What is God telling you? What does He want you and your ministry to do? Take the attitude “Why not?!”

God’s best,

You know what I am talking about? Where does that spark, that inspiration, that bit of creativity come from? Have you ever needed a special thought or inspiration for a writing project or a special message or speech? And you come up short. Nothing. Nada. I have been there, and I have experienced that!

I’ve been writing these weekly blogs for ten years. That’s over five hundred articles. Each one required a spark, a thought, that would help a ministry leader better accomplish what God called them (you?) to do. So, where did these inspirations come from, and how do you get there again and again? Especially when the deadline is right before you.

My friend Phil Cooke has written a book on the topic, Ideas on a Deadline: How to Be Creative When the Clock is Ticking. Among the many great insights Phil gives, he says deadlines are really our friend in that they push us to focus all our attention on the need before us…an idea. We need to use that “pressure point” to our advantage.

I keep a mental list of ideas or thoughts that can become the spark for a Monday MEMO or for another project I may be working on. At some point, the best of those ideas makes it to paper for use at a later time. You see, all ideas aren’t winners. Some fade away over time. Phil Cooke says that of one hundred ideas he may have for a project, only two or three are worth pursuing or presenting.

There are some things I do to help me come up with ideas. I focus on quality in all realms. I like to listen to quality music. My favorite symphony is the Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony (#3 in C minor). I have listened to it scores of times because of its musical excellence. A favorite movie is The Book Thief. The cinematography is beautiful. The John Williams movie music score is wonderful and evocative. I love the wildlife photography of Thomas D. Mangelsen. A large photo by this master hangs over the fireplace mantle in our home. And I love to dive into books by outstanding Christian authors like Henry and Richard Blackaby, Oswald Chambers, Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth, and Mark Batterson.

When I have the opportunity, I love to see God’s beautiful creation. A sunrise over the Gulf of Mexico, the beautiful Teton Mountains in Wyoming, and even the vast grasslands of middle America. Beauty that inspires.

Exposing myself to beauty and quality in all forms puts my mind into another gear as I look and listen and analyze their characteristics.

At the same time, I make it a habit to read God’s Word daily. Reading through the Bible using one of the yearly plans is a great way to immerse myself in the Lord’s powerful message. And it is amazing how directly He speaks to me, guided by the Holy Spirit.

This process, along with my six decades in media and ministry, leads to the ideas that emerge on a weekly basis. Sometimes the thoughts come easily. Other times it is more of a struggle. And not all the efforts are in the “best ever” category. But over time I am able to share things I have learned or observed, and I have often been able to directly relate God’s Word to leadership and communication principles. And, yes…many times, it is the pressure of a deadline that squeezes out an idea that emerges as an idea worthy of passing along.

Do you need an idea? Is there a deadline looming? Try these things:

• Immerse yourself in quality literature, movies, music, and productions.
• Take in the beauty right around you, the things God has provided for our pleasure.
• Spend quality time in God’s Word, letting His story become your story, gaining insight along the way for yourself and others.

Paul gave advice to his Philippian friends. He thought it was so important he made it the last thing he told them in his letter:

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

Philippians 4:8-9 NLT

Try this concept…and see where it leads you as you seek to communicate effectively to others.

God’s best,

You’ve probably heard that phrase. You may have even followed that advice in some of the situations in your life. There have been multiple clinical studies on those who adopt this philosophy. Conclusions suggest that by imitating confidence, competence, and an optimistic mindset, a person can realize those qualities in their life and achieve the results they seek.

There are numerous books and movies about people who have done this in life. One of the most famous is “Catch Me If You Can,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Based on a true story, the lead character poses as an airline pilot, doctor, and lawyer and cons people out of millions of dollars.

The phrase “fake it until you make it” has a rather negative connotation. You really can’t do a certain thing, but you act like you can. However, there can be a positive side to the action of faking it until you make it. Most of us would rather follow someone who was sure of themselves…even if they didn’t have all the answers. That confidence they show might be considered “faking it.” The truth is leaders don’t always have the answers to everything that is before them. Sometimes they need to show a confidence they aren’t feeling inside.

There is another aspect to this idea of faking it. It has to do with our spiritual activity. For years I have set out to read through the Bible each year. At first, it was difficult to stay with it. There were many distractions, and sometimes I just didn’t feel like doing it. That happens occasionally now, though I find that my early morning routine helps me stay on track.

So, what about those times I don’t feel like reading God’s Word? Should I not do it because I don’t feel like it? You may have heard the phrase:

It is easier to act yourself into a new way of thinking than to think yourself into a new way of acting.

That thought is attributed to a lot of folks, but many will point to E. Stanley Jones, a Methodist missionary, theologian, and author as a source. There is a lot of truth to those words. My experience in Bible reading is that I just continue to read each morning, following one of the many plans for reading all the Bible in a year. Some mornings it feels flat, like I am just faking it. But then I remember two things.

First, God’s Word is a living, breathing message to me from the Lord. And God has given me the Holy Spirit to help me as I follow through with the exercise of daily reading. Guess what? It is sometimes in the action of reading that God’s Spirit opens my heart to a fresh insight or a pointed message to my heart.

Satan will use lots of things to keep us from doing God’s will, from serving the Lord daily, from being the Christian leader God has called us to be. But we can overcome those temptations by looking to the Lord Jesus to give us the strength we need. And God can use even what seems ordinary or just repetitive activities. Listen to the Lord’s promise:

But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.
1 John 4:4 NLT

Fake it? How about just doing what you know God wants you to do until His Spirit energizes you and fills you with His heart’s desire? You have the Lord’s promise you will make it!

God’s best,

I was about to interview my friend Chuck Swindoll at a listener event several years ago. Dr. Swindoll has been one of the top biblical teachers in the U. S. and has been featured on the radio program Insight for Living since its start in 1979. That program airs weekly on over two thousand radio stations worldwide. At our listener event, there were almost two thousand people, and as I started my first questions to Chuck, he interrupted me…and startled me.

“Ron, how do you keep from becoming cynical?” Chuck asked. That “out of the blue,” left-field question left me speechless…for a moment. To be honest, I’m not sure exactly how I responded. I probably talked about keeping the focus on Jesus and on our calling to serve Him. For whatever reason, cynicism was on Chuck Swindoll’s mind that day.

Mentor and leadership coach Fred Smith also has thoughts about cynicism:

“Cynicism has no integrity. Even though it often properly evaluates the present, it has no hope for the future.”

The Israelites lacked hope for the future even though they witnessed the amazing power of God to save them from Egyptian slavery. Yet their cynical nature came out verbally again and again. Listen to their comments to Moses, their leader:

… “Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? What have you done to us? Why did you make us leave Egypt? Didn’t we tell you this would happen while we were still in Egypt? We said, ‘Leave us alone! Let us be slaves to the Egyptians. It’s better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness!’”

Exodus 14:11-12 NLT

That’s being pretty cynical!

Jonathan Parnell, a pastor in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has some frank words about this kind of attitude that can sneak into our lives:

“Cynicism is that sneering bitterness toward all things true and deep. It’s the subtle contempt trying to contaminate the cheeriest of moments — that slow, thick smoke of pessimism toxifying the oxygen in the lungs of our hope….”

That’s a good warning for us to be on guard.

The apostle Peter in his letter to new believers, may have been addressing this skeptical attitude as people looked for the promises of the Lord to unfold:

The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.

2 Peter 3:9 NLT

Fred Smith concluded with these thoughts:

“As Christians we have the responsibility to accurately assess the environment and respond appropriately. Maturity allows us to see without falling into unhealthy cynicism. We always want to be realistic but keep our minds centered on the truth of the higher things.”

I like that. Be centered on the truth of the higher things. Let’s fix our hearts and minds on the higher things and cast aside any cynical or pessimistic attitude that may be starting to creep in.

As Paul said, “Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”

Philippians 4:8 NLT

Or, as I like to say…God’s best,

It’s the start of a new year. For some, it seems like the past year went quickly. For others, it seemed to drag on and on. It is a matter of perspective.

If you are like me, these days are filled with contemplating the past year…the past accomplishments…the past road bumps or challenges…the past personal struggles. I reflect on the circumstances of our MEDIAlliance family around the world. Last year was full of challenges and struggles, for sure. But along the way, the Lord’s hand was evident…guiding, protecting, lifting, encouraging.

Of course, sometimes, the memory of the struggles and challenges overpowers the good things God brought our way. The Psalmist was no doubt reminding himself of the Lord’s goodness despite the rough roads he had to travel:

You crown the year with a bountiful harvest;

even the hard pathways overflow with abundance.

Psalm 65:11 NLT

Even King David had to reflect and remember the goodness of the Lord. While he experienced many blessings from God, he could list battle upon battle, challenge upon challenge. He chose to look at the harvest rather than dwell on all it took to bring the harvest to pass.

In Chronicles, we get an almost bullet-point outline of instructions on how to face the new year. Let me lay out one passage that way:

• Search for the Lord and for his strength;
• continually seek him.
• Remember the wonders he has performed,
• his miracles,
• and the rulings he has given…

1 Chronicles 16: 11-12 NLT

Search for the Lord

The great God of the universe wants to spend time with you and me. Let’s pledge to seek Him more, and not let our schedules get too full.

Continually seek Him

Don’t let the busyness of our lives or the little time challenges of our day divert us from seeking the Lord Jesus.

Remember the wonders He has performed

Today might be a good day to look back over the calendar, month by month, and write down all the ways God has blessed and provided. I suspect that once you get started, you’ll find you need more than one small sheet.

From Deuteronomy, we can draw from the same encouragement Moses gave to God’s people centuries ago. It still holds true for us today as we launch into a new year:

“…Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

Deuteronomy 31:8

You can go a long way this new year with that truth and reassurance. Let’s watch and see what our great Lord will do as we confidently…even boldly…serve Him this year.

God’s best,

I don’t think about them much. I’m talking about hinges. If they squeak, I oil them. Or spray a little WD-40 on them. If they are rusted and stuck, I replace them. But even that doesn’t demand much of my attention. Done and done!

Don’t get me wrong. Hinges are important. Even critical. Doors swing open or closed on hinges. Those doors may open to new opportunities. They may swing open to the emergency room for medical issues. They may open to our warm home on a cold night…or to our church on Christmas Day, so we may sing praise to the One born in a manger. O come, let us adore Him…

But I still don’t think about hinges very much. Do you? Maybe we should.

It is at Christmas that I recall the phrase penned by Ralph W. Sockman, a Methodist pastor, teacher, and radio preacher of the last century. Ever since I read it in a little Christmas book years ago, it has captured my heart.

“The hinge of history is on the door of a Bethlehem stable.”

Oh, I don’t know if there really was a hinge on that stable door. Probably not if it were the cave in Bethlehem. But the meaning of the phrase isn’t diminished. What happened two thousand years ago when Jesus was born of a virgin in that little town of Bethlehem has opened the door for my salvation and for yours. It changed the course of history. It fulfilled centuries-old prophecy:

For a child is born to us,

    a son is given to us.

The government will rest on his shoulders.

    And he will be called:

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6 NLT

And the impact of that event continues to make a difference in our lives and the lives of millions around the world. It also gives hope to billions who have yet to see the babe of Bethlehem as their Savior.

We have the opportunity provided by that “hinge” to share that hope. To tell the world of Jesus and His love. To reach beyond the walls of our homes and churches—to go tell it on the mountain, over the hills, and everywhere.

A hinge. A door. A story. A Savior.

Let’s celebrate Christ at Christmas and tell of His love all year long.

God’s best,

Do you sometimes get lost in all the leadership activities you deal with? Along with the meetings, there are mission statements to craft, ministry vision to share, and strategies to shape to accomplish the goals driven by the mission and the vision. It can make a leader’s head swim!

It starts with the vision. Executive leadership coach and friend Steve Gutzler recently wrote on the vision needed for today’s leaders. Steve says the leader needs the following:

Fresh Vision

This one relates to how you see the future, creating an expectation of exciting possibilities that you can’t help but share with others.

Resilient Vision

Possessing this is a game-changer in how you tackle challenges, making you more comfortable with uncertainty and turning setbacks into learning opportunities.

Relational Vision

Get ready for a shift in how you connect with others. You’ll be building relationships, fostering collaboration, and laying the groundwork for trust.

Genuine Vision

This is transformational in how you express care for the well-being of others. A genuine recognition of contributions and sincere celebrations of team success becomes second nature.

Let me add one more to Steve’s list.

Godly Vision

The spiritual leader recognizes that the main goal is to move others from where they are to where God wants them to be. This is true for churches, ministries, and businesses. When we understand the Lord’s vision, then we can use many leadership tools available to accomplish the Lord’s will, as long as we remain true to God’s call and His purpose.

In their book Spiritual Leadership: Moving People on to God’s Agenda, Henry and Richard Blackaby write of the distinctives of a spiritual leader. Among those traits are these:

Spiritual leaders depend on the Holy Spirit. They recognize the paradox that God calls them to do something that, in fact, only God can do. A leader can move people toward the Lord’s agenda, but only the Holy Spirit can ultimately accomplish the task.

Spiritual leaders are accountable to God. That’s a much higher standard than any board of any organization. But with the Holy Spirit’s help, the spiritual leader can effectively share God’s vision and bring people along to embrace that vision.

Yes, vision is critical for today’s leaders. But it is not just any idea or goal. For those seeking to serve the Lord effectively in the role to which He has called them, they must follow the Lord’s agenda and His vision.

God’s best,