Leaders, You Can Go Home Again

Today I got to go home again!  As a result of a previous post I wrote, How A Sunday School Teacher Changed My Life, the leadership of Acworth United Methodist Church gave me the privilege of returning to my childhood church home to speak to their men.

It is not an exaggeration to say that today was one of the great days of leadership I have ever experienced!  It was great to see a number of old friends and they really honored me.  I want to thank Chris Derrick for a great job promoting the event.  In addition, I wish to give a special word of thanks to Lenis Black (my former Sunday School teacher), Henry Nettles, and Butch Price for the special place they hold in my heart.

The centerpiece of the talk was a section I entitled How To Stay Married taken from Proverbs chapter 7.  Here are the elements as well as a link to The Greatest Leadership Advice I Ever Heard:

1. v.7 “I saw among the simple, I perceived among the youths, a young man devoid of understanding.”  Our desire as men should be to become wise leaders.
2. v. 5 “That they may keep you from the immoral woman, from the seductress who flatters with her words.” Men, be on guard against women who flirt with you.  Also, rely on your wife who can spot other women whose intentions are not pure.
3. v. 8 “Passing along the street near her corner, he took the path near her house” Men, don’t go places you know you shouldn’t be.
4. v.9 “In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark of night” Men, when you get off work, GO HOME!
5. v. 10 “With the attire of a harlot” I am not the fashion police but can we all agree that there is a harlot’s attire?  Also, can we also agree that we all know it when we see it.
6. v. 12 “At times she was outside, at times in the open square” Men, one of our chief roles is to love and protect our families.  However, our natural default mode is passivity.  Therefore, if your wife wants to continually go out with girls, you need to immediately engage because the serpent is going after your Eve.
7. v.17 “I have perfumed my bed”  This is fascinating to me.  The harlot has entrapped the man.  He went down her street, heard her words, was attracted to her attire, and has now gone home with her.  Why then would she need to perfume the bed when she already has him in the house?  The reason is because SIN STINKS!
8. v.22 “Immediately he went after her, as an ox goes to slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks…He did not know it would cost his life.” 

Why does it cost your life?  Proverbs 18:22 says “He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord.”  When you leave your wife, you forfeit the favor of God.

Additional Insights Provided on Male Leadership

1. My most challenging role in leadership is being a husband and father because each day I am setting precedent for a time I cannot see.
2. One of the chief roles of fathers is to love and protect.  You must keep your family on the right targets.
3. Without a father in the home, there is rudderless thinking.

Finally, I gave them the 10 Qualities I Love About Leadership.  To read that list, click here.

Once again, it was a wonderful day that I will never forget.  I hope to return there again one day.

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