Love them people

My siblings and I are studying the Song of Songs book of the Bible this week.

Song of Songs 1:1-3 (The Message)

This book is unique - a very intimate and intense love letter that God puts in our hands to read and digest.

Our devotions are supposed to focus on leadership - and we're finding it difficult to see how leadership advice from God could come from a love letter.

Or is it so difficult?

Remember a time when you were a leader or a follower and you loved it?

You couldn't wait until the next time you got together.

• Maybe for you it was on the playground?
• Or in church?
• Or in a club or organization?
• Or on a dancefloor?
• Or on an amazing team?

Why was that time so special?

Was it the thing you were doing?

Or the people you were doing it with?

Probably the people.

People who loved to be together, loved doing what they were doing, loved following the leader.

And that's how Song of Songs ties into leadership.

It's all about deep, abiding, meaningful love.  

If I am not leading (and serving) out of love for the people I lead/serve - I am missing out big time!

I know that's not how I usually think about it - but if you eliminate all the other "motivators" (money, power, adoration, prestige) - and you are still leading/serving - then you are doing it out of love.

For people.

1 Corinthians 13 (highlighting verses 1 and 2 - but read the whole chapter to see love through the lens of leadership/servanthood).

"If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.

If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing."

Oh Lord,

You put me here for a reason.

And that reason isn't me.

It's my family, friends, co-workers and any face I see today.

People that need love.

Mine, and especially Yours.

Help me speak the truth in love today.

Amen.

Link to daily bible reading calendar (chronological - one chapter per day)

TIP: click the Bible Reference and then "more details" to get hyperlinks that open Bible Gateway

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