Think of Others

"But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and he did not let the people go. Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Go to Pharaoh and speak to him, "Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, 'Let My people go, that they may serve Me. For if you refuse to let them go and continue to hold them,'"'... Pharaoh sent, and behold, there was not even one of the livestock of Israel dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go. " -Exodus 8.32-9.2, 7

Pharaoh continues to keep the people in slavery, and so the plagues continue. But now God is beginning to make distinctions. The plagues now begin to affect only the Egyptians. The flies only swarm on the people of Egypt. Only the cattle of the Egyptians die. Pharaoh's stubbornness is now causing his own people to suffer.

Men, we are notoriously stubborn, maybe stereotypically, but let's face it, all of us are stubborn to a point. The question is, what is that point? Does our stubbornness end up resulting in others being harmed? As we make decisions do we take others into account? Do we think about how our actions will impact those around us?

Sometimes it's good to be stubborn. There are times we need to stand our ground and die on the hill. But those are the times that we stand against evil and injustice and work to improve the lives around us. But when we stand our ground at the expense of others we've missed the point of leadership.

Pharaoh brought chaos and destruction upon his people because he hardened his heart. His own advisors approached him about letting the people go, but he refuses, and his people suffer.

Let us lead to better their lives, not pass our own agendas. As we lead let us think of others.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Lead Your Family

"When morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, 'Up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city.' But he hesitated. So the men seized his hand and the hand of his wife and the hands of his two daughters, for the compassion of the Lord was upon him; and they brought him out, and put him outside the city."  Genesis 19.15-16

Lot moved to a city full of wickedness.  But God is going to save him.  He is told to gather his family and flee, but when the time came, he hesitated.  For whatever reason Lot is afraid to leave even though he has been warned of the coming disaster.  And his hesitance destroys his family.

His wife turns back to look at the city and becomes a pillar of salt.  After a brief stay in a neighboring city he takes his daughters to a cave in the mountains.  When they realize they won't marry, they get their father drunk and commit incest in order to preserve the family line.  What would have happened if he had never hesitated?

Men, we must lead our families.  Our hesitation may not lead to the same fate as Lot did, but if we fail to lead we let our families down.  How many heart broken wives are out there because their husbands won't initiate?  How many children are orphaned because of fathers who won't engage?  How much damage has been caused by men who won't lead their families?

What do you want for your family?  What do you want the future to hold for your children?  How do you want your wife to feel?  You have a lot to do with that, for good or bad.  If you lead them correctly, you leave a solid foundation for them to build on.  But every hesitation, weakens it until its at the point where anything built on it crumbles.

Will you lead?

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor