Courageous LeadersSample

ETERNAL IMPACTS

The crowds that saw and experienced Jesus feeding the 5000+, were quite excited and keen to follow Jesus, where ever he was going. Jesus, who took a boat off to the other side of the lake, was finally found by the crowd who started enquiring about how and when how he reached there. In response to this query (John 4:22-34), Jesus responded. “You are seeking me because you ate your fill of loaves”

The visible outputs of His work, the immediate results, led to more people approaching him with more expectations, much like in many of our hospitals and project locations. The better work we do, the more people expect more feeding, curing, caring and sharing.

In response to these expectations, Jesus confronts them with two perspectives which are relevant for us today.

First he responds. Do not labour for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. It appears as if he was trying to communicate that more than the food that they got, the healings that they saw, and the visible outputs, one should labour for things that bring eternal outcomes or impacts.

In the midst of the busy output driven life of clinical work, numbers, project outputs, let us not lose focus that we are kept in positions of leadership to be outcome- focused and focus on eternal impacts and labour for the same- lives changed and transformed.

In response to this, the crowd enquires “how do we do such work, work which leads to these kinds of outcomes?” And He responds, “This is the will of God, that you believe in Him whom God has sent.” Instead of giving them a list of dos and don’ts, he gives them a single thing to do. The focus of their life, the primary focus should be on faith and belief in God.

The secret for an outcome or impact- focused work, is faith and belief. Faith and belief that through all that we do, God is able to accomplish His purposes and results which lasts for eternity. God is one who can use the little we do for His eternal purposes.

Are we such people, who labour with a faith and belief in the one who is able to fulfil His eternal purposes, in the places where He has kept us? Leaders are those who will see beyond outputs and look at outcomes and impacts which last for eternity. Leaders are those who have the faith and belief in the one who has entrusted them with the ministry. They are those who know that He who has called them is faithful.

Prayer

Lord, help us to be people of faith who can look beyond immediate results to eternal impacts. Amen.