Leadership Thought: Be the Wind and Not the Anchor!

Dear Friend,

Hebrews 10: 25 exhorts us, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Chuck Swindoll in his book Growing Deep in the Christian Life talks about a man getting ready to make an around the world voyage in his little homemade boat. Without exception everyone on the pier was vocally pessimistic. Everyone was telling him everything that could possibly go wrong. “The sun will broil you.” “You won’t have enough food.” “That boat of yours won't withstand any storms.” “You'll never make it.”

A man standing nearby heard all these discouraging words and decided instead to offer some words of encouragement. As the little boat began pulling away from shore, he went to the end of the pier and began waving both his arms wildly and shouting, “Bon voyage! You are really something! We're with you! We're proud of you! Good luck, brother!”

This same story has been told over and over again, only in different forms and settings. In a sense all of us have at one time or another been in that little boat. We are on a long journey, not knowing if we're going to make it. And as we push out to sea, there are very few people standing there to give us encouragement. Most are critical or negative.

That's a sad commentary on life, but often it is so very true. For every one encourager there are a multitude of discouragers, always quick and ready to tell us why something could never be done.

One three-year study found that most schoolteachers were 75% negative and critical in dealing with their students. The study also indicated that it takes four positive comments to offset the effect of one negative or critical comment.

I wonder how many people quit too soon because no one ever came along and said, “You can do it.”

Let us be the wind beneath the wings of those who dare to dream, not the anchor in their boat

As you and I go through this week, let’s look for opportunities to lift others up, not push them down.

I leave you with a visual illustration that I hope you won’t forget. When you push someone down physically, you also go down with them. When you lift someone up, you not only lift them up, but you raise yourself up as well. Enough said!

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom