Graduation, Part II

(Originally written July 1995)

We recently looked at how the decades quickly fly by after we graduate from high school and / or college. We looked at the seasons of life and the special focus of the 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s. In this post, we conclude with an overview of the second half of our adult lives.

50’s – Decade of Counsel – This is the time in life when we finally realize that we cannot change the world, but want to enjoy it anyway. We decide that we want to share our love with those around us whether they be our children, grandchildren, or friends.  These may be our best years. It is the decade of the spiritual which suddenly becomes more important than the material (“things”) or the social (“activities”) since we realize that we’re not immortal. People are open to spiritual things during a few critical windows: about age 9-10, then again at 14-15, then 19-20, then after the birth of their first child, and finally when the children leave home and we wonder what we are living for. In this decade the youngsters ask us for counsel because our gray hair marks us as survivors. We are able to “mentor” another generation.

60’s – Decade of Confirmation – This is the decade that allows us to live in retirement, in good or bad health, joyous or bitter, satisfied or jealous, financially independent or bankrupt. We face life based on the value system that we established during our younger years. Some in their 60’s are broken physically, financially, or emotionally, but most are having the time of their lives. No they don’t have the physical strength, or mental challenges, or the emotional overload, but the spirit of hope is still there. The good experiences of their lives are constantly replayed in their mind as they receive confirmation of the many right choices which they made in the earlier years. Love, tenderness, wisdom, and patience flow from what was once a selfish, harsh, unlearned, and impatient youngster. Oh, how the years and experience mature us.

70’s/80’s – Bonus Years of Grace – The average life is to be three score and ten, or seventy years. Some live much less, like my sister who died at 39, while some live much longer, such as my grandmother Dixie who will be 100 years old in August. Many today live into their 70’s or early 80’s. But once we reach 70, then we come to realize that life is fragile and each day we must thank God for another opportunity to enjoy another day. And so we live each day as a gift from the Creator.

In conclusion, graduation is simple a door into the grand palace of life. It takes us into the decade of choices, followed by challenges, then change, then times of counsel and confirmation. What a marvelous cycle of life. We must be thankful for whatever stage in which we find ourselves, and seek to enjoy each year to the fullest. Oh, that we might live in our 40’s or our 70’s with the same enthusiasm which we had as we walked across that state many years ago.

Enjoying my decade,

Kent

Graduation

(Originally written June, 1995)

Thirty one years ago, Davidene and I walked across the state at our high school graduation. To us it was the end of our 12 years of school, but really it was just the beginning of the adventure of life. Those first 17 or 18 years laid the foundation for the rest of our adult lives. Four years later we would graduate from college together. Then we began our time in the military and finally the work force. Little did we realize on those graduation nights how quickly our lives would change.

Sometimes we get burdened by the difficulties of each day, by the darkness that may surround us, and by the obstacles ahead of us. We don’t slow down to see the sunshine peeking through the clouds, or stand back and view life as a whole, or take time to enjoy the special moments it brings. As I think of the various seasons and cycles of life, it is interesting to see how each decade has its special focus.

20’s – Decade of Choices – We make decisions regarding our spouses, careers, location, friends, finances, and hobbies. The physical is dominant and we have the energy to go day and night. We are like a shotgun as we do a lot of things, but none of them very well.

30’s – Decade of Challenge – We begin to mature as a spouse, a parent, and in our careers. By the end of the decade we are reaching our maximum potential of activity since we now combine the mental experience with the physical ability. We are now more like a rifle as we take aim at more specialized goals in both our work and play. We spend more time and gain satisfaction at what we are really good at.

40’s – Decade of Change – By our mid-to-late 40’s everything not tied down is changing. Our kids are leaving home and our parents are needing help. Our jobs are mores stressed with additional responsibilities; we even have more pressure at church and in volunteer organizations. This is the decade of our emotions as the women battle menopause and the men, a mid-life crisis. Our hair, our weight, and our dreams are changing as we “zero in” even more on our desires. We add a scope to our rifles and do fewer activities, but stick to what we enjoy.

Next, we’ll conclude this overview by looking at the decades of the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s. Just relax and enjoy the decade you’re in right now!

I hope you will take time this summer to encourage a recent graduate, give them a broad perspective on life, and agree to be the role model or mentor that they desire. Be available to them when they need a compass in the later years.

Enlarging my vision,

Kent

His JOY in the Midst of Circumstances

I was reading this morning the words of my friend Dwight Hill in his Facts of the Matter email on the subject of joy.  He wrote,

“Joy is not an emotion we can rev up.  Rather it is centered in our choice to obey God.  The result?   A supernaturally produced emotion which is the fruit of walking in the Spirit: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace …”  (Gal. 5:22a)  True biblically based joy produces in us a settled confidence in the future, grounded on our trust in God’s purposes and power.  We know we possess this joy when our lives are liberated from fear because of our abiding relationship with God who is eternal and unshakeable.  Consider:  ^“You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence”  (Psa. 16:11)

I thought to myself that he nailed it.  I have joy in the midst of any circumstance because of my confidence and trust in Him and His purposes.  I am currently home recuperating from some skin cancer surgery and some repair work done to the cartilage in my nose due to my long term disease.  So, for another two weeks I am “house bound” and cannot go out in public – less I scare someone to death with the condition of my face. I am also on a severe diet so that I can lose some of my “steroid” weight since I am in a controlled environment.

I have a choice in how I view this time.  I can feel sorry for myself with yet another result of my fighting this disease over the last seventeen years, OR I can view it as a time of catching up on my reading, projects, and study time.  I can view it as a “jail sentence”, OR a wonderful time of relaxing with no schedule or agenda.  I actually put NOTHING on my calendar for four weeks.  How long has it been since you have not gone to work, had an appointment, and planned nothing for even a week?  This has been the most unusual opportunity in my life over the last fifty years.  What a privilege to have to go nowhere, see no one, and have a totally OPEN schedule to talk by phone or email, but freedom to schedule every day with no agenda.

Joy is the result of His presence and His Spirit within us.  Joy is the result of my trust in Him and His direction for my life.  I am confident that He knew that I would be facing the events of this week long ago.  He is not surprised but has a sovereign plan for each day of my life.  My responsibility is to stay on His pathway and within the circle of His blessing by making right choices.  What a joy to know that He is with me in every circumstance and season of life.  Whatever I face financially, or in my health, or relationships, or challenges in my workplace, He is there with me through the process.  So, this Spring I have experienced His faithfulness in the busy speaking and travel schedule in India and also in the quietness of recuperation at home.  In every circumstance He is right there with us.

My prayer for YOU is that you will experience that same joy in your life.  Are you trusting Him for the details of your life this week?  You can have His joy regardless of the circumstances that you are facing.  I am enjoying His presence in this different season of my life.

Celebrating His Joy,

Kent Humphreys

Feedback from Workplace Leaders Conference in Delhi, India

Kent’ comments:  Thanks so much for your prayers for our India trip.  Delhi was the last city of the five.  Here are few of the comments from the Delhi seminars. 

Feed-back from a few of the participants who attended the Pastor’s and Workplace Leaders Conference in Delhi, India: 

• “Last two days God has spoken to me in many ways. I have decided to re-work on my weekly schedule. I have already listed some “Horses” in whom I want to invest my life. My congregation consists of 80% working group and this seminar has really enlightened me. Thank you” – Pastor R

• “I will  be using the resources and teachings of Kent Humphrey’s in my Church planting trainings” –

Rev. G.  Training Director

• “Focusing on few people that God has brought to my mind during this seminar” – Ms. B

• “I want to identify the ‘Horses’ in my circle of influence and train them to train others” – Mrs.  K

• “I have learnt through this seminar about what does it mean to be a model servant. I will use this training in my local Church and will train others as well” – Pastor P

• “I will focus on few while ministering at large” – Pastor J

• “The training was very enlightening to me. I have decided to find out and train the ‘Horses’ at the earliest. I also will use these resources in my Church and especially in my Bible studies with few close staffs” – Rev.  K

• “I will use these concepts to encourage and mentor people around me” – Mr. D

• “I will apply these ideas in my workplace” – Dr. S

• “I will try to be more accessible, honest, and more encouraging” – Ms. S

•  The seminar that we were privileged to attend had turned out to be one of a life time experience, not only to me but to all who had attended. The very next day morning I had received a call from a school teacher to say thank you for inviting her to the seminar. She told me that she had never attended a seminar like this one. She was so much excited to be a part of this along with her school principal and teachers. There were three non-Christian teachers, and she was one among them. Mr. S. S.  (She wrote on her comment card, “I plan to become a true follower – have allegiance and submission to my leader. To improve my relationships with my co-workers and family. I have decided to transform my concept of ‘service’ by being truly devoted to my students and school”)

• “One of our Church members told me that through this seminar he came to know clearly that he is a missionary now in the place where he works. He is now fully convinced that the place where he works in the Central government is a field prepared by God for him. He has already started using these concepts practically in all the areas possible.”  Mr. S. S.

• “This training was very much new to me and I am blessed. I want to apply it in our ministry since we are in the promotional ministry for the Mission. In every Church there are few horses and we want to identify them to use their talents and part of their finances for the Lord. I also will share it with others” –  Mrs. D, Missionary

• “I will use this in my Church and in my Bible College” – Rev. T

•  “I learned that how JESUS taught to the public but separated 12, and out of 12 were then 3 whom HE let to see HIS GLORY. Please do convey my heartily thanks to KENT for having such a faith to travel with his physical challenge.” – Pastor A.

*Names edited to protect their confidentiality and italics added are my emphasis

Shepherding Horses Seminar Testimony from Bangalore, India Pastor

Kent’s Comment:  Sometimes we never know if our prayers or our service to others really makes a difference in someone else’s life or in eternity.  However, when we get just ONE TESTIMONY like the one below, then we are encouraged to pray more and to continue to work in the harvest field. This pastor immediately implemented the training and is making a huge difference in the lives of the leaders in his community. So, thanks so much for your prayers and BE ENCOURAGED!

Shepherding Horses Seminar Testimony from Bangalore, India Pastor*

Praise the Lord!!!

I just want to express my gratitude for the privilege you gave us to participate in the last conference in Campus Crusade for Christ.

I also want to thank you for bringing Kent Humphreys and his team to India. If what happened in my heart has happened in the heart of the other participants, I can say for sure that a powerful seed was sown in the nation and the devil received a very powerful blow.

I actually believe in disciple-making but I never thought how to deal specifically with leaders in the marketplace. I was also thought to invest in people and build them so as to have leaders that will help ME build my Church. The strategy was simple: to invest in people so that they will in return will help me build my Church. The selfish motive was not apparent at first but it was there, such that I won’t say that I succeeded in building someone if at the end of the day he was not a leader in my Church serving under my authority.

The first thing that the conference shattered was that selfish motif. I learned that I was to invest into people and build them and release them to serve God wherever God placed them. I was choked to realize that I had never asked any of my people how I could help them serve God in their business. My teaching was framed to link the person to God but also to me. I accepted the paradigm shift and decided to release people. It was about God’s Kingdom not mine. I was assured that my input in people will SURELLY be rewarded in Heaven by God. When I invest into someone, I will reap interest in all the work the person will do for God wherever he is.

The second thing that blessed me was to accept that the leaders in the marketplace could actually be serving God in their work place. The passage of Hebrews 11 was VERY STRIKING. I was surprised that it NEVER occurred to me that most or almost all the people God used were leaders in the marketplace. They were men and women in authority in the secular world and could use them to powerfully advance HIS Kingdom.

Considering these two main things that touched my heart during the conference I decided to take action.

I was working with an IT engineer working in a big company of the city for the past 3 years; a man who has travelled in more than 25 countries and was planning to let him down because he was not joining my Church nor was responding to my teaching as I EXPECTED. When I learned that my job is to teach and train people and that it is God’s business to bring the fruits, I resume continuing with him and his family afresh. We usually met once every week.

I selected 3 other men and one woman and decided to implement the message on them; 3 of the men are chief of families and business leaders in the marketplace. The woman has her own business and one man is also completing his MBA. I decided to see him as a business leader to be and deal with him as such. All of these people were very happy to receive me either in their homes or workplace once a week.

When I met with my old disciple, I asked him the question I had never asked for the past 3 years. What can I pray for your work? He explained joyfully and I prayed. I called him again during the week to clarify something about his work and we prayed again on the phone. I was building trust. One week letter, he called me to explain his business plan for the coming month and we prayed about it. Then he asked me the beautiful question I never heard for the past three years. “Pastor, how can I glorify God in my work place? Please I would like you to give me a teaching on this in our next Bible Class.” I was excited and humbled. It seems God was beginning to move in his heart. Why only now? Maybe it was because I was no more working for my Kingdom but for God and the success of others. I was glad I that the question came when I was reading the book Show and the Tell by Kent. I got enough input to tell him how he could glorify God in his work Place. It was beautiful. I told him that he had a great range of opportunity to serve God as he goes from one country to the other that I who was confined in one place. He was excited. He was just to be the salt and the light wherever God placed him. I could see that the fear that I was dragging him to settle in my Church was vanishing. HE COULD REMAIN IN HIS PLACE AND DO GREAT THINGS FOR GOD.

So far, I have met each of my horses twice already. They know I am committed to teach them the word of God, to help them apply it in their lives and show them how to serve God through their business. I TOLD THEM THAT GOD WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SUCCESS OF THEIR BUSINESS AND THAT INCREASED THE FREEDOM IN THE ATMOSPHERE.

I can already feel an increase in the bonding with each of these people. As I pray and continue the work trusting God. I believe God will bring fruits and more fruits for HIS GLORY and the EXPANSION of HIS KINGDOM.

Thank you Mr Charlie.

God bless you and your family.

Pastor, Bangalore, India

**This letter was sent to Charlie Abro, who coordinated the seminars in India in March, 2012. The name of the pastor has been withheld and the content edited in order to preserve the confidentially. Italics are my emphasis and the bold and the CAPITALIZATION are each the pastor’s. 

Service Excellence – Closing the Circle

(Originally written January, 2007)

The maid came into the hotel room and found that the safe was standing open.  She immediately called security.  When our friends returned to their room, there was a message from the hotel.   Our friends called the front desk, and soon three security people came to the room with the key to the safe.  Our friends were asked to open the safe and make sure that none of their valuables were missing. Nothing was missing; they had simply left the room safe open by mistake.  This hotel has a policy that they call “closing the circle”. When a guest has a problem, the solution is not complete until the hotel is told personally by the guest that it is complete. This process must be done in an excellent and timely manner to satisfy the management. This illustrated the kind of service that all of our party (fourteen people) received throughout our stay at this outstanding hotel.

My wife took a “Kitchen Tour” of the background workings of the facility, and came back so excited that I had to do the same. I thought, “How many hotels would be so proud of their immaculate kitchens that they would give tours?” I found a surprising world of excellence. When you order room service there, you will receive your order in no more than forty-five minutes (although our party found twenty minutes to be norm). Within five minutes after delivery, you would receive a call making sure that you had received your order on time and that it was correctly done.  If you ordered some towels, the “circle would be closed” with a call after you received the towels.  Four operators handle all the calls, of every kind for 1200 rooms, (2800 calls per shift). That is about one call per minute per operator. We have stayed at some nice hotels in many countries, but this quality of service was exceptional.  The 166 maids service 1841 beds and experience several internal audits every week.  They use 28 kinds of towel designs to entertain the room guests.  We entered our room to see towel elephants, swans, mother and baby, and other creations every day. Every employee of the hotel experiences a through security search as they arrive and leave each day.  Security is probably better than we would have received in theUnited States.

Since this hotel is located inMexico, they want to make sure that their guests not only have a safe and secure visit, but also enjoy food that is prepared in the best of health conditions.  The kitchen staff of 185 chefs and cooks prepares the food daily for over 2000 guests and 1324 employees.  The kitchen staff processes six different food groups separately on six different colors of cutting boards and knife handles.  Every time that any employee switches food groups or touches their face or someone else or goes to the rest room, he or she must go though a through 23 step hand washing process.  The staff does this while using huge qualities of food.  They use 200,000 eggs a month and eight tons of cheese.  Every day they use 2,800 pounds of fresh oranges. They use 3,300 pounds of flour a week just for the pastries and sweets. Food is pulled from the buffet after four hours, yet their spoilage rate is only 2%.  The waste comes from the customer, not the staff.  And they clean up all the mess with a dishwashing staff of only 2 or 3 people, because the plates come in scraped and sorted.  23,000 plates and 32,000 pieces of cutlery are handled daily by a dishwasher with cycles of 170 and 205 degrees.  That is what I call an efficient and healthy environment.

There are hundreds of excellent hotels and fine resorts across our nation and around the world.  However, all of our traveling companions were amazed at the quality of service we received there.  I began to think of my own business.  Are our employees “closing the circle” for excellent service?  I could use the excuse that our employees cost a lot more and that we do not charge resort prices, but do we shower our clients with outstanding service?  Are our customers blown away by service that is far above our competitor?  Do we daily meet and exceed the quality of service that our customers expect?  Sometimes it makes sense for you to go on vacation in order to improve your business.  I have not figured out how to legally charge off the trip as a business expense, but it was a great investment anyway.  Why not plan some times this year to get away with your spouse and family? At the same time, you could think of some ways that you can do a better job serving your customers.

Seeking Excellence,

Kent Humphreys

“Sitting down, He called the twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” Mark 9:35 (NASU)

You may check out the web site of the Aventura Spa Palace at www.PalaceResorts.com

 

 

 

Time to “Unlax”

(Originally written January 1993)

We arrived at the village just in time for lunch. It had been a long trip of about 24 hours. On Sunday morning we had left Oklahoma City, flown through Dallas and L.A., then spent the night in Honolulu. Monday morning we had taken the short flight to the Big Island of Hawaii, rented a car, and driven to the remote resort. We were celebrating our 25th Anniversary about eleven months late; it had been a busy year of weddings, graduations, business obligations, and adjusting to the changes of mid-life.

With an absence of T.V., radio, telephone, and traffic, the lifestyle here was much different than the one we had left at home. It took us two or three days to slow down. Davidene knew that she really needed to unwind and relax, but was so caught up in our hurried pace, that the only word she could get out was “unlax”. We learned how to deal with the difficult decisions of the day: when to eat and what to have. Quiet reading, long walks, and restful conversation became the norm.

One morning as I was sitting on the porch with the beautiful ocean in the background, I read an interesting Psalm –“Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother…my soul within me ceased from fretting”. How long has it been since you have taken time to “unlax”? Most of us will only take that “dream trip” once in our lives, but what about getting away from regular vacations, regardless how exotic? Do you make a habit of allowing your soul to be quiet at least once a week in relaxation, exercise, or worship? And don’t all of us need a few minutes each day to quiet our souls?

In a society rushing to accumulate knowledge, power, money, and pleasure, we must slow down and escape to a quiet place. It may be in a park, on a big rock, on a swing, in a closet, by a stream, in our favorite chair, on a boat, under a shade tree, by the ocean, on a horse, or by a still pond. But deep within every one of us is a soul screaming for attention. It needs to commune with its creator and longs to really share with those who care. How long has it been since you’ve had that talk with your spouse, your parent, your child, or your best friend? Our world rushes blindly ahead at a breakneck pace, getting louder and louder, while souls of lonely people are crying out. Those are not just souls of the sick, poor, and the helpless, but of the successful, prosperous, and the educated. Our souls are searching for meaning in a shallow age.

Quieting the soul involves clearing our minds of clutter, allowing our bodies to recover, cleansing our thoughts of the garbage of our society, and getting new direction. We begin to understand the seasons and cycles of life while we gain perspective relating to our priorities and purposes for living. We clean the windows of our souls of the filth and grime of this world’s systems, the fog of fear, the drizzle of worry, and the dust of uncertainty. We remove the clouds of doubt and let the sunlight in. We hear the birds as we turn off all the electronics. The waves bring peace to our soul. The mountains in the distance bring us stability and strength. The trees give shade to our weary body.

As we begin this new year, may I encourage you to plan your times to “unlax”. Schedule that family trip you’ve never taken, or that weekend with your spouse. Build restful moments into your week and your month. And why not start each day with a few minutes with God? You could read the Bible through this year in only a few minutes a day. Gain strength through prayer and direction through God’s word. May this year be one that teaches all of us how to quiet our souls in the midst of a restless generation.

Kent

Take Time

(Originally written January 1997)

As we enter a new year we are once again given the unique opportunity of “starting over” or “beginning again”. Each of us has the full 365 days before us to use as we choose. May I challenge you to “take time”…

Take time to think…
It is the source of power.

Take time to play…
It is the secret of perpetual youth.

Take time to read…
It is the foundation of wisdom.

Take time to pray…
It is the greatest power on earth.

Take time to love and be loved…
It is a God given privilege.

Take time to be friendly…
It is the road to happiness.

Take time to give…
It is too short a day to be selfish.

Take time to re-create…
It builds a scrapbook of memories.

Take time for God…
It turns into eternity.

Presented by Bob D. Foster of Lost Valley Ranch, Sedalia, CO

And as we look forward to this new year, I would wish that you may enjoy it to the fullest…

May you laugh often
May your coffee be hot
May your steaks be tender
May your taxes be reduced
May your traffic lights be green
May your planes fly on schedule
May you sleep until the alarm goes off
May your bank balance never be in the red
May your gains be great and your pains be few
May you work hard, play vigorously and rest easily
May you always have change for the parking meter
May your summers be cool and your winters be warm
May your service in the restaurant be worthy of a tip
May you never have more than one child in college at a time
May your trips to the dentist be for cleaning and polishing only
May your care get the mileage per gallon that you were told to expect
May you be privileged to pay your life insurance premiums another year
And may you just keep on being the person you are in the New Year!

(Anonymous)

Taking time to enjoy the moment,

Kent

Habits

(Originally written January 1994)

January is a month of beginning again. I enjoy it because it means that I can start over, renew my vision, and have hope. At this time of the year, we often analyze our successes and failures of the last year and commit to do it differently this time around. As I have thought about my daily practices, I am amazed how much influence “habits” have in my life. Most of what I do every day is simply controlled by long standing habit patterns. These control my eating, sleeping, exercise, reading, travel, work, play, spending, and thought patterns. They influence both positively and negatively my social, spiritual, work and family life.

These behaviors are established after weeks, months, and even years of practice. It seems that I have to continue to work at sticking with the “good” habits. Although now they are second nature to me and fairly automatic, they usually require effort to “keep up”. If such effort is not consistent, they disappear rather quickly. Therefore, I must frequently reinforce my good habits and discipline myself to persistently “stay with it”. The “bad” ones, however, seem to start naturally and take no effort to maintain. I am so blinded by these “bad” ones that I seldom see them for what they really are and what will be their result. They have the power to keep me bound, even addicted. They are only broken by effort, accountability, and the reprogramming of my mind and natural responses.

Most of my habits I learned not from a book, a speech, or a class, but from observation of lives around me. I adopted most of the good habits that I have from people that I admire and respect. The bad ones I simply fell into naturally, gradually slipped into a rut, or spent time with the wrong crowd or influence.

We are “comfortable” in most of our habits, whether they are good or bad. But while they dominate us, they are the result of deliberate choices. Paul writes in Romans, “don’t you realize that you can choose your own master?…The one to whom you offer yourself – he will take you and be your master and you will be his slave.” Most of the good in my life is due to lifelong habits. “However, for good or evil, each habit is a cable; we weave a thread of it every day, and at last we cannot break it” (Horace Mann).

Sow a thought, and you reap an act;
Sow an act, and you reap a habit;
Sow a habit, and you reap a character;
Sow a character, and you reap a destiny.

As we approach this new year, lets understand that what we read, watch, listen to, and particularly the kind of people that we spend time with and admire, will influence our thoughts. Habits start in our minds and result in our destiny.

Paul challenges us in Philippians “Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious, the best, not the worst; the beautiful not the ugly; things to praise not things to curse”. Lets brighten our lives and our world this new year by thinking right, doing right, and establishing a couple of new good habits!

Habitually yours,

Kent

Setting People Free

A New Year is here with all of its challenges and opportunities. Little do we know all that God has in store for us this year in our businesses, our families, our finances, and in our relationships. A few times each year, I feel that I have an opportunity to start fresh, to begin again. In the fall, new beginnings happen as the school year starts after a busy summer, and again in January things begin anew. At those times, we tend to start new routines and begin to build new patterns into our lives.

In Lamentations 3:22-23, God reminds us that every day His mercies are renewed. His faithfulness never wavers and His love is unconditional. Each morning we are able to come to Him for cleansing, direction, and strength for another day in the marketplace. I do not know about you, but I need that fresh start. In my readings in recent weeks, I have been reminded of God’s promise to us in Isaiah. Speaking of the Christ, the Messiah who was to come, verse one proclaims,

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom to the captives, and release for the prisoners.” 1

In this verse, God is talking to you and me as leaders in the workplace. We have been anointed by God to be His personal representatives in our companies. We are to tell His good news to everyone. He has commissioned us to heal the brokenhearted, the abused, the discouraged, the hurting, the hopeless, and the struggling ones. He has asked us to share the freedom of Christ with those employees, clients, vendors, and associates who are in bondage to today’s fast paced culture. We are to share the secrets of Christ to those locked in the prison of debt, sexual problems, addictions, and impossible  relationships. As we live each day in the marketplace, we are to help release those prisoners around us.

There are many workplace leaders who are frustrated, alone, and ready to quit. They need hope, just as we do. We must free those trapped by this world’s business system, so that they can know the Spirit’s direction and power for living between Sundays. We must release those mired in “old paradigm” religion, not realizing that God has called them to go out beyond the walls of the church and model the risen Christ in their workplace.

As we face this New Year let us determine again to be obedient, faithful, and sensitive to the Spirit of the living God as we join Him in freeing thousands to walk in His pathway. May we be as lights in a darkened world, showing others the path to freedom.

Offering a helping hand,

Kent Humphreys

1Isaiah 61:1 (NIV)