The Joy Of Order

THE JOY OF ORDER

MARK 8:1-10

In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them, 2 I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: 3 And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far. 4 And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness? 5 And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven. 6 And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people. 7 And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them. 8 So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets. 9 And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away. 10 And straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha.

Note the leadership principles found in Mark 8:6:

1. HE told the crowd: Personal Leadership

2. He TOLD the crowd: Clear Instruction

3. He told THE CROWD: Mass Communication

4. To sit on the ground: ORDER out of chaos

We serve a God of order. In the very act of Creation, God established order. Jesus’ leadership is characterized by the creation of order. Ours should be as well.

A leader’s first responsibility is to bring about order. Without order, leadership is ineffective. Without order, planning is wasted. Leadership and order are inextricably intertwined.

To some people, taking the time to bring order out of chaos seems to be a heavy burden. “Just go with the flow.” “Let the Spirit lead.” “Don’t worry about the details,” they say. Yet in the end, the price of taking time to do things “decently and in order” is always lower than the price of letting things take their own course.

Our Heavenly Father is a God of order. Jesus’ life and leadership is characterized by a commitment to order. We must commit to it as well.

Excerpts from: More Leadership Lessons From Jesus, Bob Briner & Ray Pritchard