By: Dale Weckbacher
After the fall of man in the garden and the murder of Abel by Cain, the human race became more and more corrupt. At the height of this corruption, we see the grief of God and God’s decision to completely wipe out the human race.
Gen 6:5-7
5 Now the LORD observed the extent of the people's wickedness, and he saw that all their thoughts were consistently and totally evil. 6 So the LORD was sorry he had ever made them. It broke his heart. 7 And the LORD said, "I will completely wipe out this human race that I have created. Yes, and I will destroy all the animals and birds, too. I am sorry I ever made them."
NLT
In the midst of this dire situation for mankind, we see one man, Noah who found special favor or grace with the Lord.
Gen 6:8
8 But Noah found favor with the LORD.
NLT
Verse 9 of Genesis 6 tells us why Noah found this favor with God.
Gen 6:9-10
9 This is the history of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless man living on earth at the time. He consistently followed God's will and enjoyed a close relationship with him.
NLT
God knew he could depend on Noah so he proceeds to give instructions to Noah on what to do to protect himself and his family.
Gen 6:11-22
11 Now the earth had become corrupt in God's sight, and it was filled with violence. 12 God observed all this corruption in the world, and he saw violence and depravity everywhere. 13 So God said to Noah, "I have decided to destroy all living creatures, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. Yes, I will wipe them all from the face of the earth!
14 "Make a boat from resinous wood and seal it with tar, inside and out. Then construct decks and stalls throughout its interior. 15 Make it 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. 16 Construct an opening all the way around the boat, 18 inches below the roof. Then put three decks inside the boat — bottom, middle, and upper — and put a door in the side.
17 "Look! I am about to cover the earth with a flood that will destroy every living thing. Everything on earth will die! 18 But I solemnly swear to keep you safe in the boat, with your wife and your sons and their wives. 19 Bring a pair of every kind of animal — a male and a female — into the boat with you to keep them alive during the flood. 20 Pairs of each kind of bird and each kind of animal, large and small alike, will come to you to be kept alive. 21 And remember, take enough food for your family and for all the animals."
22 So Noah did everything exactly as God had commanded him.
NLT
120 years after God’s decision to wipe out mankind and instructing Noah to start building the ark, the flood came. How do we know this much time passed? The answer is in Genesis 6:2-3
Gen 6:2-3
3 Then the LORD said, "My Spirit will not put up with humans for such a long time, for they are only mortal flesh. In the future, they will live no more than 120 years."
NLT
Some might interpret this passage to mean that the lifespan of man in the future would only be 120 years, but we do observe men and women living longer than 120 years after the flood.
Gen 11:10-26
10 This is the history of Shem's family.
When Shem was 100 years old, his son Arphaxad was born. This happened two years after the Flood. 11 After the birth of Arphaxad, Shem lived another 500 years and had other sons and daughters.
12 When Arphaxad was 35 years old, his son Shelah was born. 13 After the birth of Shelah, Arphaxad lived another 403 years and had other sons and daughters.
14 When Shelah was 30 years old, his son Eber was born. 15 After the birth of Eber, Shelah lived another 403 years and had other sons and daughters.
16 When Eber was 34 years old, his son Peleg was born. 17 After the birth of Peleg, Eber lived another 430 years and had other sons and daughters.
18 When Peleg was 30 years old, his son Reu was born. 19 After the birth of Reu, Peleg lived another 209 years and had other sons and daughters.
20 When Reu was 32 years old, his son Serug was born. 21 After the birth of Serug, Reu lived another 207 years and had other sons and daughters.
22 When Serug was 30 years old, his son Nahor was born. 23 After the birth of Nahor, Serug lived another 200 years and had other sons and daughters.
24 When Nahor was 29 years old, his son Terah was born. 25 After the birth of Terah, Nahor lived another 119 years and had other sons and daughters.
26 When Terah was 70 years old, he became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran.
NLT
The correct interpretation of Genesis 6:3 is that the men living at that time were only going to live 120 years more. God could have destroyed them immediately but in his grace he was giving them time to come back to him. These people would have seen Noah building the ark for 120 years. Most likely, they would have asked Noah what he was doing. Noah, a righteous man of faith would have shared the truth with them and since none of these people joined Noah and his family in the ark, we can assume they did not believe what Noah told them.
Noah had to wait 120 years to see God fulfill his promise to him. The question we must ask ourselves is how long would we be willing to wait for the fulfillment of God’s promise to us?
Just as Noah’s faith was rewarded and his family was spared the destruction that God brought upon the earth, our faith in God’s fulfillment of his promises to us will also be rewarded. We live in tumultuous times and it often may seem that God has forgotten his promises to us. My word of encouragement to you is to remain faithful for God is true to his Word and he will reward our faithfulness to him.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Mr. President, What Country are You President of?
By: Dale Weckbacher
This week President Obama had the President of Mexico at the White House. Of course the hot topic of conversation was the Arizona immigration bill. The statement issued by The President in the Rose Garden was troubling and begs the question, Mr. President, what country are you president of?
Mr. Obama’s statement is as follows:
“We also discussed the new law in Arizona, which is a misdirected effort — a misdirected expression of frustration over our broken immigration system, and which has raised concerns in both our countries…
And I want everyone, American and Mexican, to know my administration is taking a very close look at the Arizona law. We’re examining any implications, especially for civil rights. Because in the United States of America, no law-abiding person — be they an American citizen, a legal immigrant, or a visitor or tourist from Mexico — should ever be subject to suspicion simply because of what they look like” (The Heritage Foundation, 2010).
It appears from this statement that President Obama is more interested in not violating the “rights” of individuals entering the United States illegally then protecting the people of Arizona. I live in Arizona and the last time I checked, Arizona is part of the United States. After all, I do recall filing a U.S. tax form this year.
Mr. Obama, the voters elected you President of the United States, not Mexico or the world. When you were sworn into office you promised to uphold the constitution of the United States, which includes protecting its citizens.
Phoenix Arizona is the capital of Arizona. Unfortunately, it is also the kidnapping capital of the U.S. In my own neighborhood, I cannot go to the public park behind my house without fearing for my safety. This is because my skin is not dark enough. I have no problem with anyone using the park no matter what color their skin is so it seems to me that the racism is not with me but others. The Reverend Martin Luther King’s dream was that people be judged by their character and not the color of their skin.
Those of us who favor the Arizona immigration bill are not being racist, we are only interested in the safety of our families. You are right in your statement that our immigration system is broken but the answer is not in catering to those who enter this country illegally. The goal of any countries immigration system is not to close the door on anyone who wants to enter the country but to allow the country to know who is coming into the country in order to protect the country’s citizens.
What is broken about our immigration system is that it takes an excessively long time to enter this country legally and it is extremely expensive. With today’s technology, it should be possible for us to run a background check on individuals wanting to enter this country in a rather short time-period. After successfully passing the background check, we can issue either a work-permit or a student visa so they can enter this country legally.
For those already in the country illegally, give them the opportunity to turn themselves in during a 60-day grace period and have a background check run. Upon passing the background check, they will be issued the proper documentation and become legal. They can then begin the process of becoming a citizen if they desire or they can re-apply for a work-permit of student visa every two years. Failure to do this during the grace period will result in deportation.
This will root out those in the country illegally who intend harm to our citizens since the last thing they will want to do is have a background check run. In fact, most of these people will most likely go home during the grace period rather than risk deportation leaving us with only those seeking a better life in this country.
Mr. President, rather than standing up before the cameras and demeaning the citizens of one of the states you are president of, take the initiative and begin serious immigration reform. Reform designed to insure the safety of the citizens you govern and not pander to the desires of some foreign dignitary visiting the White House.
References:
The Heritage Foundation. (2010). The Foundry. Retrieved from http://blog.heritage.org/2010/05/21/morning-bell-raising-arizonas-defense/
This week President Obama had the President of Mexico at the White House. Of course the hot topic of conversation was the Arizona immigration bill. The statement issued by The President in the Rose Garden was troubling and begs the question, Mr. President, what country are you president of?
Mr. Obama’s statement is as follows:
“We also discussed the new law in Arizona, which is a misdirected effort — a misdirected expression of frustration over our broken immigration system, and which has raised concerns in both our countries…
And I want everyone, American and Mexican, to know my administration is taking a very close look at the Arizona law. We’re examining any implications, especially for civil rights. Because in the United States of America, no law-abiding person — be they an American citizen, a legal immigrant, or a visitor or tourist from Mexico — should ever be subject to suspicion simply because of what they look like” (The Heritage Foundation, 2010).
It appears from this statement that President Obama is more interested in not violating the “rights” of individuals entering the United States illegally then protecting the people of Arizona. I live in Arizona and the last time I checked, Arizona is part of the United States. After all, I do recall filing a U.S. tax form this year.
Mr. Obama, the voters elected you President of the United States, not Mexico or the world. When you were sworn into office you promised to uphold the constitution of the United States, which includes protecting its citizens.
Phoenix Arizona is the capital of Arizona. Unfortunately, it is also the kidnapping capital of the U.S. In my own neighborhood, I cannot go to the public park behind my house without fearing for my safety. This is because my skin is not dark enough. I have no problem with anyone using the park no matter what color their skin is so it seems to me that the racism is not with me but others. The Reverend Martin Luther King’s dream was that people be judged by their character and not the color of their skin.
Those of us who favor the Arizona immigration bill are not being racist, we are only interested in the safety of our families. You are right in your statement that our immigration system is broken but the answer is not in catering to those who enter this country illegally. The goal of any countries immigration system is not to close the door on anyone who wants to enter the country but to allow the country to know who is coming into the country in order to protect the country’s citizens.
What is broken about our immigration system is that it takes an excessively long time to enter this country legally and it is extremely expensive. With today’s technology, it should be possible for us to run a background check on individuals wanting to enter this country in a rather short time-period. After successfully passing the background check, we can issue either a work-permit or a student visa so they can enter this country legally.
For those already in the country illegally, give them the opportunity to turn themselves in during a 60-day grace period and have a background check run. Upon passing the background check, they will be issued the proper documentation and become legal. They can then begin the process of becoming a citizen if they desire or they can re-apply for a work-permit of student visa every two years. Failure to do this during the grace period will result in deportation.
This will root out those in the country illegally who intend harm to our citizens since the last thing they will want to do is have a background check run. In fact, most of these people will most likely go home during the grace period rather than risk deportation leaving us with only those seeking a better life in this country.
Mr. President, rather than standing up before the cameras and demeaning the citizens of one of the states you are president of, take the initiative and begin serious immigration reform. Reform designed to insure the safety of the citizens you govern and not pander to the desires of some foreign dignitary visiting the White House.
References:
The Heritage Foundation. (2010). The Foundry. Retrieved from http://blog.heritage.org/2010/05/21/morning-bell-raising-arizonas-defense/
Finding the Ideal Leader (Part 6)
Leadership Qualities of Ronald Reagan
By: Dale Weckbacher
Bailey (2004) in a speech delivered at Bowling Green University outlined eight points that make up an ideal leader.
1) Having a vision
2) Communicating strongly and optimistically
3) Focusing on a few priorities
4) Exhibiting the courage of your convictions
5) Relentlessly preparing for the challenge
6) Being willing to take risks and make decisions
7) Understanding that you are a steward of other people’s resources
8) Caring about what you are doing….that is demonstrating passion
(Bailey, 2004)
One of the most powerful leaders in recent history has been President Ronald Reagan. He was able to take a country mired in stagflation and a protracted Cold War, transform its economy, and set in place the processes that would end the long protracted Cold War. However, was Ronald Reagan an ideal leader according to Bailey’s (2004) criteria? In the next few paragraphs, we will measure Reagan’s accomplishments against these criteria.
Reagan’s Vision:
The situation for the country in 1980 was dreary. The nation was suffering from stagflation, a situation with high inflation and a stagnant economy. To make matters worse radical Islamic Terrorists took over the embassy in Tehran. There was an attempt to rescue the hostages but it failed (Tristam 2010).
In Candidate Reagan’s acceptance speech at the 1980 Republican Convention, Reagan outlined his vision. “More than anything else, I want my candidacy to unify our country; to renew the American spirit and sense of purpose. I want to carry our message to every American, regardless of party affiliation, who is a member of this community of shared values” (Reagan 2020, 2006). Reagan had a positive message for a nation tired of stagflation and showing weakness on the world stage.
In preparing Reagan for the 1980 presidential debates, Martel (2006) remembers Reagan telling him that a leader “must be clear with his followers about what he stood for”. Reagan’s positive vision coupled with his ability to clearly communicate it to the voters resulted in a landslide victory in the 1980 election (Leip, 2005).
Reagan became the Leader of the United States because of his vision and his ability to clearly communicate it to his followers. However, after becoming President, would he be able to continue communicating his vision with strength and optimism?
The strength and optimism of Ronald Reagan:
Perhaps the greatest measure of a leader’s effectiveness is the leaving of a legacy that outlasts their tenure as leader. In commentary on the ongoing legacy of Ronald Reagan, Hallow & Lambro (2004) cited that his two greatest accomplishments were cutting taxes and defeating the Soviet Union.
The tax cuts initiated by Reagan resulted in unprecedented economic growth and were the basis used by President George W. Bush to bring the nation out of the recession caused by the bursting of the dotcom bubble and the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Even though the Soviet Union remained intact when Reagan left office, his policy of “peace through strength” and “trust but verify” laid the groundwork for the eventual fall of the Soviet Union. Once again the legacy of Reagan lives on as President George W. Bush adopted these same policies when facing a new enemy, radical Islamic Terrorism (Hallow & Lambro, 2004).
The legacy of Ronald Reagan’s policy and the fact the other leaders were able to successfully use similar policies when facing similar situations demonstrate the power and strength with which Reagan was able to communicate his vision even after he became leader.
Reagan’s simple but difficult plan of action:
Leaders often find themselves inheriting extremely desperate situations. These leaders often have trouble when they attempt to change too much too soon. In order to prevent himself from falling into that trap, President Reagan’s agenda upon taking office was a tenacious pursuit of a few strongly held convictions (i.e. cutting taxes, reducing regulations, restoring the national defense) (O’Toole, 2004) (Hallow & Lambro, 2004).
Even though Reagan’s agenda was simple, the initiation of the agenda would be difficult but throughout his tenure in office, Reagan remained the idealist (O’Toole, 2004). Just like Reagan’s optimistic vision was able to propel him into office, his tenacious optimism enabled him to follow-through on his promise and successfully implement his agenda, leaving a lasting legacy and pattern for future leaders to follow.
Reagan’s preparation for the challenge:
Martel (2006), worked as a debate advisor for Ronald Reagan during the 1980 campaign. In his book “Leadership Legacies”, he wrote of how he was impressed with Reagan’s belief that a leader “be clear with his followers about what he stood for”. Reagan had a strong set of core values, which had developed throughout his lifetime. In preparing for the debates, he wanted to make it clear that his responses clearly communicate these values to the voters.
Core values are something we acquire as we progress through our lives. Parents, teachers, and other people we encounter in our lives teach them to us. These core values prepare us to fulfill our calling in life. Reagan’s core values prepared him for the presidency and as long as he adhered to them, he found himself adequately prepared for whatever challenges he would face.
This is a valuable lesson for all leaders. We are prepared to lead according to the core values we have acquired in our lives but when we stray from these values, we will find ourselves unprepared for the consequences. David, King of Israel was known as a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14) but when David sinned with Bathsheba, there were consequences for which David was not prepared to handle (2 Samuel 12:1-12). David had strayed from his core values and found himself ill prepared for the consequences that would follow (Holy Bible, n.d.). Reagan refused to fall into the same trap as David and as such, remained prepared to handle any and all challenges he would face.
Reagan’s willingness to take risks and make decisions:
In order for a leader to lead the way, he or she must be willing to take risks and make decisions. Every leader is one major bad decision away from being let go but failure to do anything or make any decisions is also a sure way to be let go as a leader. All leaders must be aware of this delicate balance.
When Ronald Reagan assumed The Presidency, he did so with a few simple and strongly held ideas and pursued them tenaciously. For Reagan quitting was not an option and he persisted until he accomplished what he wanted (Johnson, 2004). The risk with this strategy is what if what you want to do makes things worse instead of better.
This is where preparation and a dedication to ones values are most important. Ronald Reagan had no doubt that his policies were just what the country needed to come out of its troubles. This lack of doubt in is policies came after years of experience seeing these policies work in other situations. For Reagan, adopting these policies was no risk for he knew they would work.
Reagan also had a deep love for his country and wanted to see it succeed. As President he knew he had the power to initiate policies that would move his country forward and had no fear in implementing his policies.
The ideal leader must have a deep love and commitment to his or her organization. They must also have a deep set of core values from which they will formulate policies for success in their organizations. The ideal leader is then able to fearlessly move forward with their policies knowing the risks involved but moving forward anyway because of a deep belief in their policies. Ronald Reagan was this type of leader and this was why he was able to accomplish great things for his country and the world.
Reagan’s awareness of whose country it is:
The United States has a representative republic form of government. In a representative republic, the citizens elect representatives who make the policies that run the country. In other words, the citizens are the main stakeholders in the country and hire, or elect, leaders to represent them (Republic, 2010).
Reagan was fully aware of this and is why he was committed to restoring the confidence of the nation that had elected him to office (Johnson, 2004). He understood the importance of explaining his policies to the public that had elected him in a manner they could understand. He also understood the importance of explaining to the public how his policies would benefit them and make their lives better.
Whether we are leading a country, an organization, or our families, the people we lead are looking to us to lead them. We are not just leading an inanimate organization but we are leading people. As leaders we have the responsibility to empower those we lead and to enrich their lives. This is an enormous responsibility, but the leader that is willing to take it on will be greatly rewarded by those they lead and the legacy they leave will be remembered long after they are gone.
Reagan’s Passion:
Reagan had a simple idealistic plan to restore the United States back to greatness (O’Toole, 2004) as do most people who become leaders in their organizations. What sets great leaders apart from ordinary leaders is a deep passion for their organizations. This great passion drives them forward through opposition to success.
When seeking an ideal leader for an organization it is expedient to find someone with a contagious passion. A charismatic leader with tremendous passion will be able to get and hold the attention of those they lead. Their followers will not be following out of duty but out of a love for their leader and what he or she stands for.
However, passion alone is not a determinate of a great leader but must be compared with the other qualities of great leadership. With Reagan, the nation got a complete, but not infallible package.
Conclusion:
Bailey (2004) has provided qualities with which to judge leadership. When these are applied to leaders, we can assess their effectiveness as a leader. Applying these concepts to Ronald Reagan revealed much about his qualities and taught us some valuable lessons.
First, effective leaders must develop a vision and strongly communicate it with optimism. Reagan was known as the great communicator. He won election as President by strongly communicating his vision of a strong and prosperous America. He won the nation’s affection, and re-election, by never wavering in is commitment to his vision.
Secondly, Reagan spent his entire life developing his deeply held values of individualism and national security. His deep conviction to these values prepared him for the challenges of being President. Reagan was willing to take the risk of implementing policies in line with his values because he knew in his heart that they were right.
Finally, Reagan was effective because he maintained focus on a few priorities and did not think he had to accomplish everything right now. Leaders must learn to prioritize their agenda. This way they will focus on what is most important and work down from there.
In future leadership postings I plan to apply Bailey’s qualities to other leaders. I invite you to respond to this post with ideas of leaders to investigate.
Resources:
Bailey, J. (2004). Taking Precedent From Presidents. Vital Speeches of the Day, 70(20),
626-630. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database.
Hallow, R., & Lambro, D. (2004). Legacy: Tax Cuts and the End of the USSR. World &
I, 19(7), N.PAG. Retrieved from International Security & Counter Terrorism
Reference Center database.
Holy Bible (n.d.). The new american standard bible, Updated Edition (2002), Anaheim California, Foundations Publications Inc.,
Johnson, P. (2004). A New Beginning. National Review, 56(12), 18-20. Retrieved from
Academic Search Complete database.
Leip, D. (2005). 1980 Presidential general election results. Uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 1/4/2010. http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/national.php?year=1980.
Martel, M. (2006). On goodwill and great leadership. Directors & Boards, 30(3), 80.
Retrieved from Business Source Complete database.
O'Toole, J. (2004). The Realist-Idealist Dilemma. Fast Company, (86), 31-32. Retrieved
from Business Source Complete database.
Reagan 2020, (2006) Acceptance of Republican nomination for president at the 1980 Republican National Convention in Detroit Michigan. Reagan 2020, Retrieved 1/4/2010, http://reagan2020.us/speeches/nomination_acceotance_1980.asp.
Republic. (2010). In Encyclopedia Britannica (Online edition). Retrieved from http://www.search.ed.com.exproxy.apollolibrary.com/eb/article-9473188
Tristam, P. (2010). What was operation eagle claw, the failed rescue of American hostages in Iran? About.com Guide, Retrieved 1/4/2010, http://miccleeast.about.com/od/usmideastpolicy/f/me090413c.htm.
By: Dale Weckbacher
Bailey (2004) in a speech delivered at Bowling Green University outlined eight points that make up an ideal leader.
1) Having a vision
2) Communicating strongly and optimistically
3) Focusing on a few priorities
4) Exhibiting the courage of your convictions
5) Relentlessly preparing for the challenge
6) Being willing to take risks and make decisions
7) Understanding that you are a steward of other people’s resources
8) Caring about what you are doing….that is demonstrating passion
(Bailey, 2004)
One of the most powerful leaders in recent history has been President Ronald Reagan. He was able to take a country mired in stagflation and a protracted Cold War, transform its economy, and set in place the processes that would end the long protracted Cold War. However, was Ronald Reagan an ideal leader according to Bailey’s (2004) criteria? In the next few paragraphs, we will measure Reagan’s accomplishments against these criteria.
Reagan’s Vision:
The situation for the country in 1980 was dreary. The nation was suffering from stagflation, a situation with high inflation and a stagnant economy. To make matters worse radical Islamic Terrorists took over the embassy in Tehran. There was an attempt to rescue the hostages but it failed (Tristam 2010).
In Candidate Reagan’s acceptance speech at the 1980 Republican Convention, Reagan outlined his vision. “More than anything else, I want my candidacy to unify our country; to renew the American spirit and sense of purpose. I want to carry our message to every American, regardless of party affiliation, who is a member of this community of shared values” (Reagan 2020, 2006). Reagan had a positive message for a nation tired of stagflation and showing weakness on the world stage.
In preparing Reagan for the 1980 presidential debates, Martel (2006) remembers Reagan telling him that a leader “must be clear with his followers about what he stood for”. Reagan’s positive vision coupled with his ability to clearly communicate it to the voters resulted in a landslide victory in the 1980 election (Leip, 2005).
Reagan became the Leader of the United States because of his vision and his ability to clearly communicate it to his followers. However, after becoming President, would he be able to continue communicating his vision with strength and optimism?
The strength and optimism of Ronald Reagan:
Perhaps the greatest measure of a leader’s effectiveness is the leaving of a legacy that outlasts their tenure as leader. In commentary on the ongoing legacy of Ronald Reagan, Hallow & Lambro (2004) cited that his two greatest accomplishments were cutting taxes and defeating the Soviet Union.
The tax cuts initiated by Reagan resulted in unprecedented economic growth and were the basis used by President George W. Bush to bring the nation out of the recession caused by the bursting of the dotcom bubble and the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Even though the Soviet Union remained intact when Reagan left office, his policy of “peace through strength” and “trust but verify” laid the groundwork for the eventual fall of the Soviet Union. Once again the legacy of Reagan lives on as President George W. Bush adopted these same policies when facing a new enemy, radical Islamic Terrorism (Hallow & Lambro, 2004).
The legacy of Ronald Reagan’s policy and the fact the other leaders were able to successfully use similar policies when facing similar situations demonstrate the power and strength with which Reagan was able to communicate his vision even after he became leader.
Reagan’s simple but difficult plan of action:
Leaders often find themselves inheriting extremely desperate situations. These leaders often have trouble when they attempt to change too much too soon. In order to prevent himself from falling into that trap, President Reagan’s agenda upon taking office was a tenacious pursuit of a few strongly held convictions (i.e. cutting taxes, reducing regulations, restoring the national defense) (O’Toole, 2004) (Hallow & Lambro, 2004).
Even though Reagan’s agenda was simple, the initiation of the agenda would be difficult but throughout his tenure in office, Reagan remained the idealist (O’Toole, 2004). Just like Reagan’s optimistic vision was able to propel him into office, his tenacious optimism enabled him to follow-through on his promise and successfully implement his agenda, leaving a lasting legacy and pattern for future leaders to follow.
Reagan’s preparation for the challenge:
Martel (2006), worked as a debate advisor for Ronald Reagan during the 1980 campaign. In his book “Leadership Legacies”, he wrote of how he was impressed with Reagan’s belief that a leader “be clear with his followers about what he stood for”. Reagan had a strong set of core values, which had developed throughout his lifetime. In preparing for the debates, he wanted to make it clear that his responses clearly communicate these values to the voters.
Core values are something we acquire as we progress through our lives. Parents, teachers, and other people we encounter in our lives teach them to us. These core values prepare us to fulfill our calling in life. Reagan’s core values prepared him for the presidency and as long as he adhered to them, he found himself adequately prepared for whatever challenges he would face.
This is a valuable lesson for all leaders. We are prepared to lead according to the core values we have acquired in our lives but when we stray from these values, we will find ourselves unprepared for the consequences. David, King of Israel was known as a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14) but when David sinned with Bathsheba, there were consequences for which David was not prepared to handle (2 Samuel 12:1-12). David had strayed from his core values and found himself ill prepared for the consequences that would follow (Holy Bible, n.d.). Reagan refused to fall into the same trap as David and as such, remained prepared to handle any and all challenges he would face.
Reagan’s willingness to take risks and make decisions:
In order for a leader to lead the way, he or she must be willing to take risks and make decisions. Every leader is one major bad decision away from being let go but failure to do anything or make any decisions is also a sure way to be let go as a leader. All leaders must be aware of this delicate balance.
When Ronald Reagan assumed The Presidency, he did so with a few simple and strongly held ideas and pursued them tenaciously. For Reagan quitting was not an option and he persisted until he accomplished what he wanted (Johnson, 2004). The risk with this strategy is what if what you want to do makes things worse instead of better.
This is where preparation and a dedication to ones values are most important. Ronald Reagan had no doubt that his policies were just what the country needed to come out of its troubles. This lack of doubt in is policies came after years of experience seeing these policies work in other situations. For Reagan, adopting these policies was no risk for he knew they would work.
Reagan also had a deep love for his country and wanted to see it succeed. As President he knew he had the power to initiate policies that would move his country forward and had no fear in implementing his policies.
The ideal leader must have a deep love and commitment to his or her organization. They must also have a deep set of core values from which they will formulate policies for success in their organizations. The ideal leader is then able to fearlessly move forward with their policies knowing the risks involved but moving forward anyway because of a deep belief in their policies. Ronald Reagan was this type of leader and this was why he was able to accomplish great things for his country and the world.
Reagan’s awareness of whose country it is:
The United States has a representative republic form of government. In a representative republic, the citizens elect representatives who make the policies that run the country. In other words, the citizens are the main stakeholders in the country and hire, or elect, leaders to represent them (Republic, 2010).
Reagan was fully aware of this and is why he was committed to restoring the confidence of the nation that had elected him to office (Johnson, 2004). He understood the importance of explaining his policies to the public that had elected him in a manner they could understand. He also understood the importance of explaining to the public how his policies would benefit them and make their lives better.
Whether we are leading a country, an organization, or our families, the people we lead are looking to us to lead them. We are not just leading an inanimate organization but we are leading people. As leaders we have the responsibility to empower those we lead and to enrich their lives. This is an enormous responsibility, but the leader that is willing to take it on will be greatly rewarded by those they lead and the legacy they leave will be remembered long after they are gone.
Reagan’s Passion:
Reagan had a simple idealistic plan to restore the United States back to greatness (O’Toole, 2004) as do most people who become leaders in their organizations. What sets great leaders apart from ordinary leaders is a deep passion for their organizations. This great passion drives them forward through opposition to success.
When seeking an ideal leader for an organization it is expedient to find someone with a contagious passion. A charismatic leader with tremendous passion will be able to get and hold the attention of those they lead. Their followers will not be following out of duty but out of a love for their leader and what he or she stands for.
However, passion alone is not a determinate of a great leader but must be compared with the other qualities of great leadership. With Reagan, the nation got a complete, but not infallible package.
Conclusion:
Bailey (2004) has provided qualities with which to judge leadership. When these are applied to leaders, we can assess their effectiveness as a leader. Applying these concepts to Ronald Reagan revealed much about his qualities and taught us some valuable lessons.
First, effective leaders must develop a vision and strongly communicate it with optimism. Reagan was known as the great communicator. He won election as President by strongly communicating his vision of a strong and prosperous America. He won the nation’s affection, and re-election, by never wavering in is commitment to his vision.
Secondly, Reagan spent his entire life developing his deeply held values of individualism and national security. His deep conviction to these values prepared him for the challenges of being President. Reagan was willing to take the risk of implementing policies in line with his values because he knew in his heart that they were right.
Finally, Reagan was effective because he maintained focus on a few priorities and did not think he had to accomplish everything right now. Leaders must learn to prioritize their agenda. This way they will focus on what is most important and work down from there.
In future leadership postings I plan to apply Bailey’s qualities to other leaders. I invite you to respond to this post with ideas of leaders to investigate.
Resources:
Bailey, J. (2004). Taking Precedent From Presidents. Vital Speeches of the Day, 70(20),
626-630. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database.
Hallow, R., & Lambro, D. (2004). Legacy: Tax Cuts and the End of the USSR. World &
I, 19(7), N.PAG. Retrieved from International Security & Counter Terrorism
Reference Center database.
Holy Bible (n.d.). The new american standard bible, Updated Edition (2002), Anaheim California, Foundations Publications Inc.,
Johnson, P. (2004). A New Beginning. National Review, 56(12), 18-20. Retrieved from
Academic Search Complete database.
Leip, D. (2005). 1980 Presidential general election results. Uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 1/4/2010. http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/national.php?year=1980.
Martel, M. (2006). On goodwill and great leadership. Directors & Boards, 30(3), 80.
Retrieved from Business Source Complete database.
O'Toole, J. (2004). The Realist-Idealist Dilemma. Fast Company, (86), 31-32. Retrieved
from Business Source Complete database.
Reagan 2020, (2006) Acceptance of Republican nomination for president at the 1980 Republican National Convention in Detroit Michigan. Reagan 2020, Retrieved 1/4/2010, http://reagan2020.us/speeches/nomination_acceotance_1980.asp.
Republic. (2010). In Encyclopedia Britannica (Online edition). Retrieved from http://www.search.ed.com.exproxy.apollolibrary.com/eb/article-9473188
Tristam, P. (2010). What was operation eagle claw, the failed rescue of American hostages in Iran? About.com Guide, Retrieved 1/4/2010, http://miccleeast.about.com/od/usmideastpolicy/f/me090413c.htm.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
It’s About Security Not Racism
By: Dale Weckbacher
Arizona Senate bill 1020 has created quite a national stir making Arizona a center of political attention in our country. On the one hand, we hear that this law will mean that authorities in Arizona will stop people on the streets asking them to show their papers. This scenario sounds like something out of a spy movie in the Soviet Union during the Cold War. On the other hand, some claim that the bill does not promote racial profiling and actually prohibits it. They claim that the purpose of the bill is only to enforce federal immigration legislation that is already on the books. So, which side is correct on this issue?
In order to determine that, we must determine if anyone has actually read the bill. In testimony before congress on Thursday May 13, 2010, Attorney General Eric Holder admitted that he has not read the bill even though he is contemplating legal action against it. When questioned about his constitutional concerns over legislation he has not read, he admitted that his opinion was based on newspaper accounts, television, and talking to people who are on the review panel. In other words, he is basing his statement on hearsay evidence; something a highly educated attorney such as himself should know is not credible evidence (Fox news, 2010). In addition, President Obama has not read the legislation either but feels free to lampoon it at the White House Correspondents Dinner (O'Hannigan, 2010).
Gabriela Salcedo, who has actually taken the time to read the 16-page legislation, made a passionate debate in favor of the legislation at a recent Tucson City Council meeting (O’Hannigan, 2010). It appears that those who have actually taken a few minutes to read the bill, without any political agenda, interested in the security of themselves and their families have a completely different opinion than those with a political agenda who have not. However, why should that surprise any of us?
Ever since the current crew took over we have had a stimulus package and health care legislation passed by The Congress and signed by The President without being read either. It seems that the mode of operation for this bunch is to pass or comment on legislation based on some political agenda or hearsay evidence rather then taking the time to read the actual legislation.
My recommendation to the voters in the next election is quite simple. Ask them if they can read and if they will read any and all legislation presented to them for a vote or a signature. If the cannot answer yes to both questions, do not vote for them. What we need are literate legislators that will take the time to read what they vote on instead of just rubber-stamping it because of its political expediency. This legislation is not about race but the safety and security of the people of Arizona.
References:
Fox News (2010, May 14). Holder admits to not reading Arizona's immigration law
dispite cirticizing it.. Retrieved May 16, 2010,
http://www.foxnews.com/polotics/2010/05/13/holder-admits-reading-arizonas immigration-law-despite-slamming/
O'Hannigan, P. (2010, May 14). The governor, the president, and the race card. The
American Spectator, 6:08 AM, . Retrieved May 16, 2010,
http://spectator.org/archives/2010/05/14/the-governor-the -president-and
Arizona Senate bill 1020 has created quite a national stir making Arizona a center of political attention in our country. On the one hand, we hear that this law will mean that authorities in Arizona will stop people on the streets asking them to show their papers. This scenario sounds like something out of a spy movie in the Soviet Union during the Cold War. On the other hand, some claim that the bill does not promote racial profiling and actually prohibits it. They claim that the purpose of the bill is only to enforce federal immigration legislation that is already on the books. So, which side is correct on this issue?
In order to determine that, we must determine if anyone has actually read the bill. In testimony before congress on Thursday May 13, 2010, Attorney General Eric Holder admitted that he has not read the bill even though he is contemplating legal action against it. When questioned about his constitutional concerns over legislation he has not read, he admitted that his opinion was based on newspaper accounts, television, and talking to people who are on the review panel. In other words, he is basing his statement on hearsay evidence; something a highly educated attorney such as himself should know is not credible evidence (Fox news, 2010). In addition, President Obama has not read the legislation either but feels free to lampoon it at the White House Correspondents Dinner (O'Hannigan, 2010).
Gabriela Salcedo, who has actually taken the time to read the 16-page legislation, made a passionate debate in favor of the legislation at a recent Tucson City Council meeting (O’Hannigan, 2010). It appears that those who have actually taken a few minutes to read the bill, without any political agenda, interested in the security of themselves and their families have a completely different opinion than those with a political agenda who have not. However, why should that surprise any of us?
Ever since the current crew took over we have had a stimulus package and health care legislation passed by The Congress and signed by The President without being read either. It seems that the mode of operation for this bunch is to pass or comment on legislation based on some political agenda or hearsay evidence rather then taking the time to read the actual legislation.
My recommendation to the voters in the next election is quite simple. Ask them if they can read and if they will read any and all legislation presented to them for a vote or a signature. If the cannot answer yes to both questions, do not vote for them. What we need are literate legislators that will take the time to read what they vote on instead of just rubber-stamping it because of its political expediency. This legislation is not about race but the safety and security of the people of Arizona.
References:
Fox News (2010, May 14). Holder admits to not reading Arizona's immigration law
dispite cirticizing it.. Retrieved May 16, 2010,
http://www.foxnews.com/polotics/2010/05/13/holder-admits-reading-arizonas immigration-law-despite-slamming/
O'Hannigan, P. (2010, May 14). The governor, the president, and the race card. The
American Spectator, 6:08 AM, . Retrieved May 16, 2010,
http://spectator.org/archives/2010/05/14/the-governor-the -president-and
The Best Use of Knowledge
By: Dale Weckbacher
Ps 46:10-11
10 "Be silent, and know that I am God!
I will be honored by every nation.
I will be honored throughout the world."
11 The LORD Almighty is here among us;
the God of Israel is our fortress.
NLT
We live in complex times and face many challenges. How will we survive the rough economic times we face as a nation? What will we do to keep our nation and ourselves safe from criminals and terrorists? What will I do if I loose my home? What will I do if I loose my job?
These are real questions asked by many of us today. The message in Psalm 46:10-11 is telling us to be still in these times and know that God is in control. In the end all nations and the entire world, will honor God. The greatest message, however, is that this same God is here among us right now. He is our fortress in these challenging times but many do not acknowledge Him and instead try to navigate these challenges on their own.
Many think that their education will deliver them. I can relate here as someone who has two college degrees and is working on their doctorate degree. It is easy to think that I have the education to determine what is necessary to succeed in these times but no education in the world can give you what God has for God knows the future.
Rom 8:28
28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
NLT
Our future can be secure with God on our side. All we need to do is love Him and be called. Everyone who has accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior has expressed their love for Him but how do we know if we have been called?
1 Cor 7:17
17 You must accept whatever situation the Lord has put you in, and continue on as you were when God first called you. This is my rule for all the churches.
NLT
The context of this passage is a teaching by the Apostle Paul regarding Marriage. He is answering the question on whether it is better to be married or remain single. Since every person, whether male of female, is either married or single, we can conclude that this instruction applies to everyone. Therefore, we can conclude that God has called every one of us. Our work for Christ may be different, but every one of us who have given their hearts to Christ is called.
Therefore, the message of Romans 8:28 applies to every believer who loves God. This gives us hope for no matter how bleak our situation seems, God has something good waiting for us on the other side.
This does not mean that acquiring an education is not necessary for all knowledge comes from God (Proverbs 2:6) but I am encouraging everyone not to forget God and only trust in their education. Therefore, I encourage everyone to join me today in learning to depend on God and let him show us how to apply the knowledge he has given us in order to learn how to navigate these challenging times.
If you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your savior, I encourage you to do it now.
Rom 10:9
9 For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
NLT
Pray with me know. Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned in my life. I ask you to forgive me of my sins. I love you and want you to be the Lord of my life. I believe you died, were buried, and rose again from the dead. Come into my life and be Lord of my life.
If you have prayed this prayer, reply to this posting and let me know. I will not contact you or put you on a mailing list. I simply want to pray for you. You can also click on the link for spiritual help on the right side or this blog. Go to the link on “How to know God” and request a New Believers Packet. This packet will not place you on anyone’s mailing list but contains valuable information on what to do now.
May God Bless you.
Ps 46:10-11
10 "Be silent, and know that I am God!
I will be honored by every nation.
I will be honored throughout the world."
11 The LORD Almighty is here among us;
the God of Israel is our fortress.
NLT
We live in complex times and face many challenges. How will we survive the rough economic times we face as a nation? What will we do to keep our nation and ourselves safe from criminals and terrorists? What will I do if I loose my home? What will I do if I loose my job?
These are real questions asked by many of us today. The message in Psalm 46:10-11 is telling us to be still in these times and know that God is in control. In the end all nations and the entire world, will honor God. The greatest message, however, is that this same God is here among us right now. He is our fortress in these challenging times but many do not acknowledge Him and instead try to navigate these challenges on their own.
Many think that their education will deliver them. I can relate here as someone who has two college degrees and is working on their doctorate degree. It is easy to think that I have the education to determine what is necessary to succeed in these times but no education in the world can give you what God has for God knows the future.
Rom 8:28
28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
NLT
Our future can be secure with God on our side. All we need to do is love Him and be called. Everyone who has accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior has expressed their love for Him but how do we know if we have been called?
1 Cor 7:17
17 You must accept whatever situation the Lord has put you in, and continue on as you were when God first called you. This is my rule for all the churches.
NLT
The context of this passage is a teaching by the Apostle Paul regarding Marriage. He is answering the question on whether it is better to be married or remain single. Since every person, whether male of female, is either married or single, we can conclude that this instruction applies to everyone. Therefore, we can conclude that God has called every one of us. Our work for Christ may be different, but every one of us who have given their hearts to Christ is called.
Therefore, the message of Romans 8:28 applies to every believer who loves God. This gives us hope for no matter how bleak our situation seems, God has something good waiting for us on the other side.
This does not mean that acquiring an education is not necessary for all knowledge comes from God (Proverbs 2:6) but I am encouraging everyone not to forget God and only trust in their education. Therefore, I encourage everyone to join me today in learning to depend on God and let him show us how to apply the knowledge he has given us in order to learn how to navigate these challenging times.
If you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your savior, I encourage you to do it now.
Rom 10:9
9 For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
NLT
Pray with me know. Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned in my life. I ask you to forgive me of my sins. I love you and want you to be the Lord of my life. I believe you died, were buried, and rose again from the dead. Come into my life and be Lord of my life.
If you have prayed this prayer, reply to this posting and let me know. I will not contact you or put you on a mailing list. I simply want to pray for you. You can also click on the link for spiritual help on the right side or this blog. Go to the link on “How to know God” and request a New Believers Packet. This packet will not place you on anyone’s mailing list but contains valuable information on what to do now.
May God Bless you.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Great Men of Faith (Moses)
Another great man of faith in the Bible is Moses. Moses miraculously survived Pharaoh’s death sentence at birth because God had great plans for him.
Ex 1:22-2:10
22 Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: "Throw all the newborn Israelite boys into the Nile River. But you may spare the baby girls."
1 During this time, a man and woman from the tribe of Levi got married. 2 The woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She saw what a beautiful baby he was and kept him hidden for three months. 3 But when she could no longer hide him, she got a little basket made of papyrus reeds and waterproofed it with tar and pitch. She put the baby in the basket and laid it among the reeds along the edge of the Nile River. 4 The baby's sister then stood at a distance, watching to see what would happen to him.
5 Soon after this, one of Pharaoh's daughters came down to bathe in the river, and her servant girls walked along the riverbank. When the princess saw the little basket among the reeds, she told one of her servant girls to get it for her. 6 As the princess opened it, she found the baby boy. His helpless cries touched her heart. "He must be one of the Hebrew children," she said.
7 Then the baby's sister approached the princess. "Should I go and find one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?" she asked.
8 "Yes, do!" the princess replied. So the girl rushed home and called the baby's mother.
9 "Take this child home and nurse him for me," the princess told her. "I will pay you for your help." So the baby's mother took her baby home and nursed him.
10 Later, when he was older, the child's mother brought him back to the princess, who adopted him as her son. The princess named him Moses, for she said, "I drew him out of the water."
NLT
Moses, perhaps aware of the circumstances surrounding his birth, visits his people and comes to their defense but it was not God’s time.
Ex 2:11-15
11 Many years later, when Moses had grown up, he went out to visit his people, the Israelites, and he saw how hard they were forced to work. During his visit, he saw an Egyptian beating one of the Hebrew slaves. 12 After looking around to make sure no one was watching, Moses killed the Egyptian and buried him in the sand.
13 The next day, as Moses was out visiting his people again, he saw two Hebrew men fighting. "What are you doing, hitting your neighbor like that?" Moses said to the one in the wrong.
14 "Who do you think you are?" the man replied. "Who appointed you to be our prince and judge? Do you plan to kill me as you killed that Egyptian yesterday?"
Moses was badly frightened because he realized that everyone knew what he had done. 15 And sure enough, when Pharaoh heard about it, he gave orders to have Moses arrested and killed. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and escaped to the land of Midian.
NLT
Now living in exile, Moses finds himself tending his father-in-law’s flocks. This may have seemed demeaning to Moses but God was training him for his eventual shepherding of the people of Israel out of Egypt. Then after many years, he confronts God at the burning bush and receives his calling from God.
Ex 3:1-10
1 One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he went deep into the wilderness near Sinai, the mountain of God. 2 Suddenly, the angel of the LORD appeared to him as a blazing fire in a bush. Moses was amazed because the bush was engulfed in flames, but it didn't burn up. 3 "Amazing!" Moses said to himself. "Why isn't that bush burning up? I must go over to see this."
4 When the LORD saw that he had caught Moses' attention, God called to him from the bush, "Moses! Moses!"
"Here I am!" Moses replied.
5 "Do not come any closer," God told him. "Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground." 6 Then he said, "I am the God of your ancestors — the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." When Moses heard this, he hid his face in his hands because he was afraid to look at God.
7 Then the LORD told him, "You can be sure I have seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries for deliverance from their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering. 8 So I have come to rescue them from the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own good and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey — the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites live. 9 The cries of the people of Israel have reached me, and I have seen how the Egyptians have oppressed them with heavy tasks. 10 Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You will lead my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt."
NLT
However, Moses is reluctant to go and offers up numerous excuses. Perhaps he was remembering what happened the last time he tried to come to his Israelites defense. He has also learned to wait on God and this time God would be with him.
In the remainder of the book of Exodus and the books of Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, we see how Moses was able to lead the people to the edge of the Promised Land but was not allowed to go in due to his lack of faith in God at the waters of Meribah.
Num 20:1-13
1 In early spring the people of Israel arrived in the wilderness of Zin and camped at Kadesh. While they were there, Miriam died and was buried.
2 There was no water for the people to drink at that place, so they rebelled against Moses and Aaron. 3 The people blamed Moses and said, "We wish we had died in the LORD's presence with our brothers! 4 Did you bring the LORD's people into this wilderness to die, along with all our livestock? 5 Why did you make us leave Egypt and bring us here to this terrible place? This land has no grain, figs, grapes, or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!"
6 Moses and Aaron turned away from the people and went to the entrance of the Tabernacle, where they fell face down on the ground. Then the glorious presence of the LORD appeared to them, 7 and the LORD said to Moses, 8 "You and Aaron must take the staff and assemble the entire community. As the people watch, command the rock over there to pour out its water. You will get enough water from the rock to satisfy all the people and their livestock."
9 So Moses did as he was told. He took the staff from the place where it was kept before the LORD. 10 Then he and Aaron summoned the people to come and gather at the rock. "Listen, you rebels!" he shouted. "Must we bring you water from this rock?" 11 Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff, and water gushed out. So all the people and their livestock drank their fill.
12 But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!" 13 This place was known as the waters of Meribah, because it was where the people of Israel argued with the LORD, and where he demonstrated his holiness among them.
NLT
The lessons we can learn from Moses are
1) God has a plan for our lives and no matter what may try to destroy us, God’s plan will be accomplished.
2) When we attempt to fulfill God’s plan in our way, it ends in failure.
3) When we wait to receive our calling from God, he will give us the help and resources we need to accomplish it.
4) Just because we have his calling does not give us an excuse to be disobedient for disobedience to Gods direction always has consequences.
In the difficult times in which we live, we need to be like Moses knowing that God has a divine plan for our lives. We must not run ahead of God but wait on him to reveal his plan for us and when we have God’s plan we must move forward in total obedience to the instructions God gives us.
Ex 1:22-2:10
22 Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: "Throw all the newborn Israelite boys into the Nile River. But you may spare the baby girls."
1 During this time, a man and woman from the tribe of Levi got married. 2 The woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She saw what a beautiful baby he was and kept him hidden for three months. 3 But when she could no longer hide him, she got a little basket made of papyrus reeds and waterproofed it with tar and pitch. She put the baby in the basket and laid it among the reeds along the edge of the Nile River. 4 The baby's sister then stood at a distance, watching to see what would happen to him.
5 Soon after this, one of Pharaoh's daughters came down to bathe in the river, and her servant girls walked along the riverbank. When the princess saw the little basket among the reeds, she told one of her servant girls to get it for her. 6 As the princess opened it, she found the baby boy. His helpless cries touched her heart. "He must be one of the Hebrew children," she said.
7 Then the baby's sister approached the princess. "Should I go and find one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?" she asked.
8 "Yes, do!" the princess replied. So the girl rushed home and called the baby's mother.
9 "Take this child home and nurse him for me," the princess told her. "I will pay you for your help." So the baby's mother took her baby home and nursed him.
10 Later, when he was older, the child's mother brought him back to the princess, who adopted him as her son. The princess named him Moses, for she said, "I drew him out of the water."
NLT
Moses, perhaps aware of the circumstances surrounding his birth, visits his people and comes to their defense but it was not God’s time.
Ex 2:11-15
11 Many years later, when Moses had grown up, he went out to visit his people, the Israelites, and he saw how hard they were forced to work. During his visit, he saw an Egyptian beating one of the Hebrew slaves. 12 After looking around to make sure no one was watching, Moses killed the Egyptian and buried him in the sand.
13 The next day, as Moses was out visiting his people again, he saw two Hebrew men fighting. "What are you doing, hitting your neighbor like that?" Moses said to the one in the wrong.
14 "Who do you think you are?" the man replied. "Who appointed you to be our prince and judge? Do you plan to kill me as you killed that Egyptian yesterday?"
Moses was badly frightened because he realized that everyone knew what he had done. 15 And sure enough, when Pharaoh heard about it, he gave orders to have Moses arrested and killed. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and escaped to the land of Midian.
NLT
Now living in exile, Moses finds himself tending his father-in-law’s flocks. This may have seemed demeaning to Moses but God was training him for his eventual shepherding of the people of Israel out of Egypt. Then after many years, he confronts God at the burning bush and receives his calling from God.
Ex 3:1-10
1 One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he went deep into the wilderness near Sinai, the mountain of God. 2 Suddenly, the angel of the LORD appeared to him as a blazing fire in a bush. Moses was amazed because the bush was engulfed in flames, but it didn't burn up. 3 "Amazing!" Moses said to himself. "Why isn't that bush burning up? I must go over to see this."
4 When the LORD saw that he had caught Moses' attention, God called to him from the bush, "Moses! Moses!"
"Here I am!" Moses replied.
5 "Do not come any closer," God told him. "Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground." 6 Then he said, "I am the God of your ancestors — the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." When Moses heard this, he hid his face in his hands because he was afraid to look at God.
7 Then the LORD told him, "You can be sure I have seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries for deliverance from their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering. 8 So I have come to rescue them from the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own good and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey — the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites live. 9 The cries of the people of Israel have reached me, and I have seen how the Egyptians have oppressed them with heavy tasks. 10 Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You will lead my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt."
NLT
However, Moses is reluctant to go and offers up numerous excuses. Perhaps he was remembering what happened the last time he tried to come to his Israelites defense. He has also learned to wait on God and this time God would be with him.
In the remainder of the book of Exodus and the books of Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, we see how Moses was able to lead the people to the edge of the Promised Land but was not allowed to go in due to his lack of faith in God at the waters of Meribah.
Num 20:1-13
1 In early spring the people of Israel arrived in the wilderness of Zin and camped at Kadesh. While they were there, Miriam died and was buried.
2 There was no water for the people to drink at that place, so they rebelled against Moses and Aaron. 3 The people blamed Moses and said, "We wish we had died in the LORD's presence with our brothers! 4 Did you bring the LORD's people into this wilderness to die, along with all our livestock? 5 Why did you make us leave Egypt and bring us here to this terrible place? This land has no grain, figs, grapes, or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!"
6 Moses and Aaron turned away from the people and went to the entrance of the Tabernacle, where they fell face down on the ground. Then the glorious presence of the LORD appeared to them, 7 and the LORD said to Moses, 8 "You and Aaron must take the staff and assemble the entire community. As the people watch, command the rock over there to pour out its water. You will get enough water from the rock to satisfy all the people and their livestock."
9 So Moses did as he was told. He took the staff from the place where it was kept before the LORD. 10 Then he and Aaron summoned the people to come and gather at the rock. "Listen, you rebels!" he shouted. "Must we bring you water from this rock?" 11 Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff, and water gushed out. So all the people and their livestock drank their fill.
12 But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!" 13 This place was known as the waters of Meribah, because it was where the people of Israel argued with the LORD, and where he demonstrated his holiness among them.
NLT
The lessons we can learn from Moses are
1) God has a plan for our lives and no matter what may try to destroy us, God’s plan will be accomplished.
2) When we attempt to fulfill God’s plan in our way, it ends in failure.
3) When we wait to receive our calling from God, he will give us the help and resources we need to accomplish it.
4) Just because we have his calling does not give us an excuse to be disobedient for disobedience to Gods direction always has consequences.
In the difficult times in which we live, we need to be like Moses knowing that God has a divine plan for our lives. We must not run ahead of God but wait on him to reveal his plan for us and when we have God’s plan we must move forward in total obedience to the instructions God gives us.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Are We Exposing our Weaknesses?
This week much debate occurred over how the alleged suspect in the failed Times Square bombing was able to get through security and board a plane to flee the country. The debate also focused on how this individual was able to gain U.S. citizenship. This leads to the question, have our security procedures become weak and are our enemies testing us to discover where our weaknesses are?
In addition to this, the stock market dropped nearly 1000 points suddenly allegedly due to an error made on a stock sale. This occurred on the same day that economic unrest in Greece led to violence and market uncertainty. Regardless of whether the computer glitch was intentional or not, this incident exposes a weakness in the handling of electronic stock transactions. If one transaction of a sizable amount can cause such a rapid market decline, what is to prevent some enemy of our country, whether domestic or foreign, from hacking into the system and causing a market meltdown?
An article appearing in the Washington Post on Friday May 7, 2010 authored by David Cho and Jia Lynn Yang theorized that this failure of the system is a result of changes made in 2007. “The goal was to give investors more control over how their trades were executed and to guarantee the best price when they buy stocks” (Cho & Yang, 2010).
To accomplish this goal the changes allowed the routing of orders for stock transactions to the platform offering the best price. In other words, an order for a stock purchase was no longer under the sole control of the New York Stock Exchange but routed to several different platforms in order to find the best price. This has made it more difficult for the market to react to panic selling, evidenced by Thursday’s failure of the market to react to billion-dollar instead of million-dollar sale.
This has exposed yet another weakness in our national security, the security of our stock markets. There must be some way for the market to detect an unusual transaction such as occurred on Thursday and place the transaction on hold until it can be determined if the transaction in an error or not. However, we must be careful not to panic and place such stringent regulations on the market so as to restrict legitimate sales.
One recommendation would be to place transactions that are over a certain amount on hold until they can be investigated. We could freeze the price of that transaction so as not to harm someone seeking to make a legitimate sale. If the transaction is found to be legitimate, the sale could then proceed but if the sale is an error or suspicious (e.g. from a suspicious source) the sale would be stopped, avoiding the panic which occurred on Thursday.
September 11 taught us a valuable lesson, our nation has enemies. These enemies attacked our financial institutions (Wall Street), military (The Pentagon), and our government (The belief that the failed hijacking in Pennsylvania was to attack the Capitol or White House). Since that time, our country has been diligent and no further attacks have occurred. However, the events of this week have exposed some possible weaknesses. It is imperative that we strengthen these areas of weakness so as not to leave our enemies an open door to attack us once again. Otherwise, we may wake up some morning to another attack on our country, an attack that could not only result in the loss of innocent live but could also tip our sluggish economy and markets over the edge. We must remain diligent and strengthen our areas of weakness as we become aware of them.
References:
Cho, D. & Yang, J. L. (2010, May 7). Wild day on Wall Street leaves electronic
exchanges under scrutiny. The Washington Post, , . Retrieved May 8, 2010,
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-
dyn/content/article/2010/05/07/AR201005700643html?hpid=topnews
In addition to this, the stock market dropped nearly 1000 points suddenly allegedly due to an error made on a stock sale. This occurred on the same day that economic unrest in Greece led to violence and market uncertainty. Regardless of whether the computer glitch was intentional or not, this incident exposes a weakness in the handling of electronic stock transactions. If one transaction of a sizable amount can cause such a rapid market decline, what is to prevent some enemy of our country, whether domestic or foreign, from hacking into the system and causing a market meltdown?
An article appearing in the Washington Post on Friday May 7, 2010 authored by David Cho and Jia Lynn Yang theorized that this failure of the system is a result of changes made in 2007. “The goal was to give investors more control over how their trades were executed and to guarantee the best price when they buy stocks” (Cho & Yang, 2010).
To accomplish this goal the changes allowed the routing of orders for stock transactions to the platform offering the best price. In other words, an order for a stock purchase was no longer under the sole control of the New York Stock Exchange but routed to several different platforms in order to find the best price. This has made it more difficult for the market to react to panic selling, evidenced by Thursday’s failure of the market to react to billion-dollar instead of million-dollar sale.
This has exposed yet another weakness in our national security, the security of our stock markets. There must be some way for the market to detect an unusual transaction such as occurred on Thursday and place the transaction on hold until it can be determined if the transaction in an error or not. However, we must be careful not to panic and place such stringent regulations on the market so as to restrict legitimate sales.
One recommendation would be to place transactions that are over a certain amount on hold until they can be investigated. We could freeze the price of that transaction so as not to harm someone seeking to make a legitimate sale. If the transaction is found to be legitimate, the sale could then proceed but if the sale is an error or suspicious (e.g. from a suspicious source) the sale would be stopped, avoiding the panic which occurred on Thursday.
September 11 taught us a valuable lesson, our nation has enemies. These enemies attacked our financial institutions (Wall Street), military (The Pentagon), and our government (The belief that the failed hijacking in Pennsylvania was to attack the Capitol or White House). Since that time, our country has been diligent and no further attacks have occurred. However, the events of this week have exposed some possible weaknesses. It is imperative that we strengthen these areas of weakness so as not to leave our enemies an open door to attack us once again. Otherwise, we may wake up some morning to another attack on our country, an attack that could not only result in the loss of innocent live but could also tip our sluggish economy and markets over the edge. We must remain diligent and strengthen our areas of weakness as we become aware of them.
References:
Cho, D. & Yang, J. L. (2010, May 7). Wild day on Wall Street leaves electronic
exchanges under scrutiny. The Washington Post, , . Retrieved May 8, 2010,
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-
dyn/content/article/2010/05/07/AR201005700643html?hpid=topnews
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)