Wednesday; July 26

          As leaders, one of the toughest tasks we face is to realize the long-term impact of our decisions.  Many of us have been involved in businesses, organizations or relationships that are struggling and we must make decisions about what to do.  As we assess the choices before us, one of the most telling questions is, “Will this action actually ‘change’ the outcome or will it merely ‘delay the inevitable’?”  This challenge can manifest itself in a variety of ways:  will an infusion of cash breathe a fresh breath of life into a business or merely delay the debt collectors … will a change in management provide us with a fresh start destined for success or just hand the same old problems to a new person … will an innovative approach to advertising or recruiting garner the results we need to restore productivity or will it just deplete capital and increase discouragement?  In today’s world sometimes meaningful change is the only way stay afloat.
          While this principle is important in many aspects of our lives it is vital to our eternal existence.   Most of us are convinced that to live a longer, healthier lives we have to adjust our approach to diet and exercise, but the truth of the matter is that nutrition and fitness only prolong the inevitable.  No matter how well we take care of these bodies they are going fail us and we are going to die.  Yet, there is something that lasts forever – spiritual change.  The Bible explains, “… discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” (I Timothy 4:8)
          We should take advantage of the opportunities we have been given, but let’s be certain to make the changes necessary for long-term gain.   Let’s not just change for change sake, let’s focus on change for goodness sake!
          Think About It!

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