While I was in Australia I had the opportunity to play rugby with some of the guys at Hillsong College. Two quick thoughts on that before I jump in…
#1 - My body is definitely MUCH more sensitive to pain than it used to be!
#2 - I had an awesome time playing…as the country song says, “I ain’t as good as I once was—but I’m as good once as I ever was!”
My experience at playing rugby, though, caused me to sit around and think about leadership…and I began asking myself four questions in light of the experience I gained while playing…
#1 - Do I Want The Ball?
When I first stepped onto the field I made a quick discovery…if you are holding the ball…you were going to get your clock cleaned!
After the first several hits I had this thought, “If I will just stay away from the dude passing the ball…he won’t pass it to me…and if doesn’t pass it to me then that means I won’t get hit anymore.”
I played this way for about three minutes and then another thought hit me, “If I keep playing this way…I won’t get hit…but I also won’t know what it is like to actually advance the ball downfield.”
SO…from that point on I literally wanted the ball every single chance I could get my hands on it…
The same is true for leadership. When it comes to making the tough calls…when it comes to getting “hit” by critics and internet bloggers who sit in their underwear in their mother’s basement and manage their facebook acounts all day long…GIVE ME THE BALL!
When it comes to offending the religious…give me the ball!
When it comes to being consumed about people meeting Christ…give me the ball!
A leader wants the ball! There is something in him or her that keeps thinking, “If I had possession of the ball…I could move it a little further down field.” Some call that arrogance; however, I call it proper stewardship of the Romans 12:8 gift of leadership.
Life is WAY TOO SHORT to play it safe. Yes, getting hit does hurt…but if you aren’t getting hit as a leader then you are either running the wrong way…or you just aren’t in the game!
How about it…or you on the field watching the game pass you by…but are too afraid to engage because you might get hit?