Let me ask- what does it mean to lead with a heart open wide? After watching my beloved NBA team from OKC drive deep into the playoffs, I feel like I'm able to insert any cliche here. Leading with a heart open wide means leaving it all on the court while giving people 110% of yourself, even if you don't match up well. You could insert yours. But, looking closely at what Paul did leading up to that statement- he didn't shy away from saying the difficult thing. But, mostly, he reminded them of eternity. Paul knew that the gospel was the most important thing, and he wanted them to know that in spite of their challenges there is reason for great hope. God wins. Things that we can't see really matter. And we are the ones to move that message out into the streets.
Heading into '11, I set a goal to read a certain four chapters from the Bible 100 times before '12. I'm about a third of the way there (behind, I know). Paul gave his most complete theological framework in the book of Romans. But, he gave much of his ministry philosophy and mindset in 2 Corinthians 2:14-6:10. Those chapters have meant a lot to me over the years, and they continue to shape me.
So, how do we lead with a heart open wide? With eyes fixed on eternity, courage to do the difficult thing, and with the humility of knowing that it's God who does the heavy lifting- not us.
