When there is no-one to lead; you must lead

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blessedstar

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I think there is something deep within the broken human nature that looks for other people to give us some kind of indication we are on the right path. We hear an internal ‘voice’, a ‘knowing’, a ‘certainty’, but we wait for confirmation from others. That confirmation may not if ever come from other people until we express what we ‘hear’.

I am writing this to tell you to adhere to that inner voice even if all about you no-one is doing a just thing.

We must not wait to be led by other people; if we wait for this we may never move.

If you see a need be the one to stand up and address that need, be it clothes for the naked or food for the hungry. If you see an injustice be the one to stand up and speak justly for the justice of those wronged with injustice. If you see an untruth be the one to stand up and speak the Truth.

You may stand up alone, you may be the only one to see the signs and interpret the signs.

But if you stand up be warned: first of all you will be condemned by all men. Secondly you will be considered evil. Thirdly you will be mistreated. Fourthly when they have done enough wrong to you they will say that you did infact speak the Truth. And fifthly what you stood up for and suffered for will be seen as common sense and the just thing to do.

If you can endure and if you desire to embrace this cross then stand up and lead because so many men want to be leaders but they do it for their own glory and do not suffer, but with Jesus the people who stand up and lead do so for the glory of God and suffer therefore for doing so.

Stand up and lead ; it doesn’t matter if you are shy, it doesn’t matter if you have no skills, it doesn’t matter if you feel out of your depth because if you stand up and lead for Jesus He will do everything in this poor instrument.

You will temporarily be unpopular, that is of no concern.

Wherever you are, stand up and lead and do not wait for someone you think is better to come along and do the job; you have seen the job, you have seen the writing on the wall, so stand up and lead, be patient, trust in God and you will see the fruit even if you suffer for it.

Do not wait to be led, but lead.🙂

Comments, stories and thoughts all welcomed!!😃

In my Living Prayer of life.
 
It certainly is interesting that this post comes at a time when a priest that I have become very reliant on for advice and consolation has left me. The priest was a very, very holy man, and I kind of have been using him as a model and as my spiritual leader. I have already been having difficulty as I usually do when this happens because I end up feeling temporarily lost and stranded. While not all of this is truly applicable, some of it is very much so. Thanks for the post:) .
 
Kevin42 said:
It certainly is interesting that this post comes at a time when a priest that I have become very reliant on for advice and consolation has left me. The priest was a very, very holy man, and I kind of have been using him as a model and as my spiritual leader. I have already been having difficulty as I usually do when this happens because I end up feeling temporarily lost and stranded. While not all of this is truly applicable, some of it is very much so. Thanks for the post:) .
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There is nothing wrong in having a spiritual guide; for a time there is everything right with it. Now yours is no longer around perhaps it is time to go directly to the Lord. To stand, so to speak, on your own two feet. It isn’t easy, I have been where you are. My spiritual guide who is a saint, was moved by the Holy Spirit and I have felt very alone. I still manage to speak with him on the telephone and every word from him is what I already thought. It is Truth to edify Truth. This is what you miss. It is like being a spiritual orphan and can be quite painful.

If you cannot get the wisdom any other place; then go direct to Jesus, increase your prayer and practise Living Prayer.

I will keep you in the Living Prayer of my life for wisdom and courage of heart.🙂

There comes a time to lead and there is none other to lead you in this but Jesus because He has led you by others thus far and the time comes to be led alone by Him in His Ways. Don’t be afraid, it is a wonderful phase of the spiritual life and you will grow in courage, peace and most of all, love.
 
I couldn’t agree with you more blessedstar!

Although we are but one person, we can be the start of something much bigger than us. The devil will try to convince us otherwise.

It is hard to try to stand up for what is right. Especially in this day of relativism where people just want to take what they want and leave out what they don’t want.

It’s hard to argue the Catholic faith when the person has taken on this belief, that they can have the best of both worlds. It is true that we look like the bad guy when we want to lead someone in the right direction. We can even look like radicals. Like we are outside the norm.

How funny in this day of relativism what the norm has become.

My experience in this matter is trying to talk to a Catholic who is strong practicing Catholic, practicing Reiki. After explaining where the Catholic faith stands on it she said that she doesn’t think she does those things. She says that Reiki is okay. Even after telling her 3 times the reasons why it wan’t compatible with the Catholic faith.

We did leave on good terms but I felt like I was talking to a wall. I know that the Holy Spirit will do His work.

We must do what we can and always trust in the Lord to sometimes finish the job. 🙂 I am sure you agree.
 
Jenlyn said:
My experience in this matter is trying to talk to a Catholic who is strong practicing Catholic, practicing Reiki. After explaining where the Catholic faith stands on it she said that she doesn’t think she does those things. She says that Reiki is okay. Even after telling her 3 times the reasons why it wan’t compatible with the Catholic faith.
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Jen, just curious: do you think Catholics who practice Zen meditation are doing something incompatible with Catholic tradition?
 
How the tears fall at these words of Love to our Master lover and saviour.

Quote:*I am writing this to tell you to adhere to that inner voice even if all about you no-one is doing a just thing.
We must not wait to be led by other people; if we wait for this we may never move.

If you see a need be the one to stand up and address that need, be it clothes for the naked or food for the hungry. If you see an injustice be the one to stand up and speak justly for the justice of those wronged with injustice. If you see an untruth be the one to stand up and speak the Truth.

You may stand up alone, you may be the only one to see the signs and interpret the signs.

But if you stand up be warned: first of all you will be condemned by all men. Secondly you will be considered evil. Thirdly you will be mistreated. Fourthly when they have done enough wrong to you they will say that you did infact speak the Truth. And fifthly what you stood up for and suffered for will be seen as common sense and the just thing to do.

If you can endure and if you desire to embrace this cross then stand up and lead because so many men want to be leaders but they do it for their own glory and do not suffer, but with Jesus the people who stand up and lead do so for the glory of God and suffer therefore for doing so.

Stand up and lead ; it doesn’t matter if you are shy, it doesn’t matter if you have no skills, it doesn’t matter if you feel out of your depth because if you stand up and lead for Jesus He will do everything in this poor instrument.
You will temporarily be unpopular, that is of no concern.*

My heart, as little as it is cries out in joy at seeing these words.
Yes these are the actions of the heart of God to see a time and a place that “mercy “ must from the people of God abound to those who have nothing. "and by this love will the people know we are God’s people.
When we find we have nothing we have given all we have, then we are to ask for more to give and keep on giving.
Love never says “not now” it never says “I haven’t time” it never looks at self satisfaction,
Love gives at all times and then bows it’s knees in humility of how much has been given for it to give,
Love sees not the person but God in that person.
Love takes each cross as not enough to show the love already received.
Love looks at what is foolish in mans eyes and glorifies God by turning the other cheek under rebuke.
Love is itself for it has nothing else to live for, thus it gives at all times and receives all that was given and all that was received.
Love is the Heart of God. It is the spirit that breaths life into a person to serve one another.
The skills: to see ourself as a smashed vase for God to put back as He wishes.
God does not need or want our “ability” but He wants our “availability” To offer ourself as a sacrifice of love to His intentions.

Praise to our glorious Father in Heaven the Son and the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever AMEN:bowdown2: :bowdown:
God bless
littleone
 
littleone said:
The skills: to see ourself as a smashed vase for God to put back as He wishes.
God does not need or want our “ability*” but He wants our “availability” To offer ourself as a sacrifice of love to His intentions.

Praise to our glorious Father in Heaven the Son and the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever AMEN:bowdown2: :bowdown:
God bless
littleone

The vase reminds me of St Therese who said …

’My love for God is a great treasure in an earthen vase and that in dying of love I am shattering the vase to anoint His Sweet Face.'

You know I live near the countyside. As a child I was taken on many long walks in the countryside by my late father. I didn’t appreciate those walks at the time nor the great beauty I could see and went along begrudgingly. My father loved God’s creation and would spend hours sitting in a field looking at the wildlife (he was a bit of a St Francis and I think this was where he was closest to God). I would sit on a wall and wriggle about and be very bored. I used to spend hours watching sheep. Although at the time I didn’t care for the sheep nor for anything I was seeing on those walks as my legs were too little and those long walks were exhausting for a little one now I am older I love that my father taught me to love creation and I am thankful and appreciate everything I saw and learnt. I remember sitting on a wall and sheep being led to a sheep dip, being led into fields, being taken down country roads, being led all over the place to all manner of things; or sheep wandering off and getting into trouble. I made so many observations of those sheep but the one relevant to this thread is simple:
**
It only takes one sheep to follow the shepherd and to enter the gate of the field for the rest to follow. All the sheep hesitate, but once one sheep takes the path and goes through the gate the rest see where that little sheep is going and they change course and follow him and the shepherd. **

Don’t wait to be led, but lead.🙂
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Meggie said:
my inner voice tells me to eat pizza
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"and so say all of us and so say all of us, :extrahappy: I try to stay away from pizza I could say I can’t see the spiritual need but the truth is my stumich repells in size 😊 after it enters the house???:crying:
lol.

One day in thought I was told that in 1000 people there may be only 10 who could lead with positive interest.
Giving relevence to your point “blessed star”, it only takes one person but looking at it from the other side how easy it is to sit back and allow or hope others would take the challenge and lead. As you mentioned they may find themself alone spat at jailed or other for taking this stance. I guess that is why in "James 3:5 " James tells us that not many of you brothers will be leaders because, (they alone have been given the power of the spirit to lead, to take up the chalenge, the mantle of leadership).

It only takes one sheep to follow the shepherd and to enter the gate of the field for the rest to follow. All the sheep hesitate, but once one sheep takes the path and goes through the gate the rest see where that little sheep is going and they change course and follow him and the shepherd. Many are called but few chosen, why, well I believe as you have written the reason why is that not many will truly give themself as a smashed vase.
Most wish to offer themself as and the way they wish because it doesn’t mean going through the tribuulations and fire of change of our heart.

ps I enjoy your writings and loved your entry about your father blessedstar, it is beautiful and what a beautiful man, God bess
littleone

Don’t wait to be led, but lead.
It is when I embrace my cross to follow Jesus that I embrace my victory and the victory of others in the Eternal Victory of Jesus by the way of His Cross without which my cross would be of no value
 
Any leader knows pizza is an important part of leading. Well, atleast for teens and college age kids.😃

Leadership isn’t just wanting to lead or having the ablity to lead but having people in need of leading. Its all about your message. Sometimes, looking to other pre-existing leadership may be better than leading your own. There is hardly a group today that isn’t being ministered to. Children, teens, elderly, pregnant, prisioners, etc.

There is no reason to take on a self-rightous attitude of suffering.
 
Meggie said:
Any leader knows pizza is an important part of leading. Well, atleast for teens and college age kids.😃

Leadership isn’t just wanting to lead or having the ablity to lead but having people in need of leading. Its all about your message. Sometimes, looking to other pre-existing leadership may be better than leading your own. There is hardly a group today that isn’t being ministered to. Children, teens, elderly, pregnant, prisioners, etc.

There is no reason to take on a self-rightous attitude of suffering.
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I can’t imagine anyone who suffers can end up feeling self-righteous about it; if there was a shred of that kind of attitude then there wouldn’t be any suffering in it. Our Lord was not self-righteous upon the Cross.

If every need was taken care of then we could all sit back on our laurels and say that all the work is being done, no need for us to do anything in that case, but that isn’t true. The needs are not being met or there would not be a need for a soup kitchen and there would be no need for people to live rough, no need for people to be sold as slaves into the sex trade etc etc. This is mopping up after the problem not actively leading towards preventing the problem in the first place. These are only examples, but it is this kind of talk that leads to mopping up rather than being a leader in the first place so that these things are avoided.

We are each called to lead, we are each Baptised Priest, Prophet and King. As King we are to be an example of the Gospel. We cannot address every need but we can find one need and address that and by doing a little, and all of us doing a little, every need could be addressed.

It is not enough to say, we fed and clothed them then sent them on their way, we have our little group and we help people and we are very pleased with ourselves and our level of help but we won’t stand up and go any further than that because we don’t want to suffer self-righteously…what nonsense! Love always goes one step further and love actively lived leads to the cross.

I am talking about standing up and leading when there is no-one doing a just thing. It is easy to turn our face and say it is none of our concern and probably this or that person did something to deserve the fate they are now in and we can’t be the first to speak up because it isn’t our place and there are so many groups doing so many things that we need only give an hour or so to those groups and we have done our bit. Change never came about by that kind of self-dialogue.

If you give pizza for their stomach then food must be given for the soul also. It is not easy to stand up and speak the Truth. But the Truth is more food than pizza and the body dies but the spirit doesn’t.

Why do you make a riddle where there is none?

When I read your first post about pizza I found it funny and thought you were making a light-hearted comment. I fear I was wrong and it appears that you are ridiculing what I have said. I hope I am wrong in that and I apologise if I am reading this wrongly.

What have I said that offends you? What is it that is untruthful in my words? Have I spoke something grosse? Have I said anything contrary to the Gospel? If I have not then why do you react as you do?
 
I’m not trying to offend you, just to state that you make it sound like this huge suffering to get up and lead, that you have to do it all yourself and no one will like you for quite a while. This is, for the most part, untrue. I voulenteer 150-200 hours a year, and I also participate in other ministries where I never directly see the other person eg. writing letters. There ARE so many worthy ministryies out there needing an extra hand, too many times these ministries are overshadowed by the latest and greatest when someone decides to do something themselves, has others joins, and then falls away (due to family, illness, etc) but there are SO MANY good ministries in existance. Name what you want to do, feed the hungry…well there is soup kitchen, meals on wheels, there are summer lunch programs for kids in needy communities.
Visit those imprisioned/confined/not home…again, meals on wheels, bring communion to the sick, or simply visiting those on the church’s prayer list, writing letters to those overseas, writing letters to prisioners, visiting prisioners
etc.

There is more work to be done in each of those examples, and that probably can be done more efficently, than any one person can do on a leadership high. I think its less about leadership and more about being a humble servant. In the very least its the servent-leadership egnmia that St. Vincent DePaul so clearly states. And the orginization he made still exists today!!! Another good one (its more than clothes donations).

And, yes, the pizza comment was ment to be funny, but make a point. Sometimes, when we lead ourselvs and don’t look to the wisdom of others who’ve done it for years we can get very prideful, and easily burnt out.
 
Meggie said:
I’m not trying to offend you, just to state that you make it sound like this huge suffering to get up and lead, that you have to do it all yourself and no one will like you for quite a while. This is, for the most part, untrue. I voulenteer 150-200 hours a year, and I also participate in other ministries where I never directly see the other person eg. writing letters. There ARE so many worthy ministryies out there needing an extra hand, too many times these ministries are overshadowed by the latest and greatest when someone decides to do something themselves, has others joins, and then falls away (due to family, illness, etc) but there are SO MANY good ministries in existance. Name what you want to do, feed the hungry…well there is soup kitchen, meals on wheels, there are summer lunch programs for kids in needy communities.
Visit those imprisioned/confined/not home…again, meals on wheels, bring communion to the sick, or simply visiting those on the church’s prayer list, writing letters to those overseas, writing letters to prisioners, visiting prisioners
etc.

There is more work to be done in each of those examples, and that probably can be done more efficently, than any one person can do on a leadership high. I think its less about leadership and more about being a humble servant. In the very least its the servent-leadership egnmia that St. Vincent DePaul so clearly states. And the orginization he made still exists today!!! Another good one (its more than clothes donations).

And, yes, the pizza comment was ment to be funny, but make a point. Sometimes, when we lead ourselvs and don’t look to the wisdom of others who’ve done it for years we can get very prideful, and easily burnt out.
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I think you are misreading my thread altogether. I am not talking about ambling down to your local soup kitchen and volunteering. I am talking about standing up for justice and the needs of others who are suffering a wrong. Yes I did mention clothing the naked etc because it is a social wrong to leave people without basic needs being met.

I am talking about standing up against something greater than yourself and doing something about it and the consequences that will have to be suffered for doing so.

I am making a call to stand up for the Truth.

In effect what you are saying is don’t bother to suffer, just dabble your toe in the water and don’t go any further than that.

I think you have made your point that you think I am talking stupidly. So as you don’t see where I am coming from and keep talking about soup kitchens I think we had better agree to disagree.

I am thoroughly deflated and am amazed that people can look at the world as it is and not say it will take more than a soup kitchen! I believe it will take a lot more of dying to ‘self’ than that:(
 
“Ambling down” to your local soup kitchen can do more good for your community than you know.

And I stated several other ministries, all in dire need of voulenteers, that can make all the difference. You don’t have to be a martyr to live like Christ in this world! I’m asking you to see the good thats already being done and that good needs help, not making our world sound horrible and that we must be hated in order to do any good.:rolleyes:

I think you’re making a big deal of ministring when ministries exist.
 
blessedstar said:
It is very weird that i came to this Post… I was looking for something else…

and even when it caught my eye, i almost ignored it…

Strange… because i now believe i was meant to read this… that God was speaking through you to me (and to others…). :o

God bless…
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Meggie said:
“Ambling down” to your local soup kitchen can do more good for your community than you know.

And I stated several other ministries, all in dire need of voulenteers, that can make all the difference. You don’t have to be a martyr to live like Christ in this world! I’m asking you to see the good thats already being done and that good needs help, not making our world sound horrible and that we must be hated in order to do any good.:rolleyes:

I think you’re making a big deal of ministring when ministries exist.
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Then that is what you say and what you think and you are entitled to it.

I see all you are pointing out. I work in a Homeless Centre and with young people in schools.

I am making a different point that is all.🙂
 
contramundum7 said:
It is very weird that i came to this Post… I was looking for something else…

and even when it caught my eye, i almost ignored it…

Strange… because i now believe i was meant to read this… that God was speaking through you to me (and to others…). :o

God bless…
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God Bless you too and thank you for your kindness in the other thread 🙂
 
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