The Rapport of Poor Character

In Daniel Goleman’s recent study of Emotional Intelligence, he explores a discovery in what’s labelled the ‘Social Brain’, which encompasses the emotional functionality of our brains in social contexts, and the operation of “mirror neurons” which act like a “neural Wifi system” (Goleman, 618) in group/person to person communication. What I found fascinating in this study was the function of this part of our brain in groups under leadership.

I was sitting in a training session at work on communication and EQ (emotional intelligence), and remember the trainer observing the group of us nearly all sitting in a similar position at the meeting table as we listened to her teach. She called the moment a situation where there were obvious “rapport leaders” in the room. Rapport can be defined as a relation; connection, or especially harmonious or sympathetic relation. The social brain recognises situations where there are natural rapport leaders, and according to this discovery, the brain recognises along the diverse and mosaic networking minds that we have, that the most powerful person in the room (defined by both humility and honour, I would hope) will influence how the rest of the group feels. Yes, feel. That horrible, overly emotional word that men go no where near and women justify everything with.. (Kidding).

To clarify: the leadership is not responsible for how you feel, nor do they define it. But by grace, we’ve been blessed with being able to give and receive Love, and influence one another.

In group vision, goals and dreaming, the leadership are required to build rapport with their group. Leadership must have balance. If your character is arrogant, if your ego is dominant, if you’re unstable - cracks will show. (You didn’t see me write that anyone is perfect). There are few character traits outside of love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control, that will not create fear in relationships and in teams. I strongly understand relationships to work either fear or Faith (trust action) based. As a Christian, it is vital to evaluate who your rapport leaders are - or even what they are - and if they operate in the field of Faith or fear. Often your behaviour and response to situations will determine which you’re ‘feeding’ off, or indicate what. Outside of Christianity, if you’re in a place of leadership it’s equally important to evaluate who your rapport leaders are, and how you’re ‘feeding’ your character. In learning to be a leader, I’ve learnt that leadership is costly. You’re influencing people.

I’m determined to see people choose to soul sort, and I’m determined to see Christ’s goodness be deemed sovereignly powerful.

Confidence

One thing I’m learning about leadership is that it’s okay - if not, necessary - to be confident in what you believe in. Confident, not arrogant. It is equally necessary for you maintain humility - because you are often wrong :) and that’s okay (it’s part of the process). I’m being challenged at the moment in my passivity. A turning point in God’s response to Habakkuk in the second chapter of that book, is when He declares, “…but the righteous will live by his faith”, and I’m convinced this is a call for God’s people to be walking in confidence. We are righteous when we are aligned with Truth, and our soul is upright with His. The overflow of this is trusting in God. Regardless of the enemy’s work, those who have themselves aligned with God will have faith, and trust in Him. Fortunately, I’m being taught that when there is merely one Kingdom concept to learn, it must be learnt in every area of your life. God works completely. Humility will remind you to be confident that God will build you in areas that are weaker. I said that its necessary to be confident in what you believe in - which means that I’m confident in God. Our confidence is not in our flesh… We don’t have enough grace to keep ourselves afloat and away from pride. We are kept, and grounded in God’s Grace and heart for us to build into who He’s made us to be. Humility is not being quiet (or not defined by quietness). Humility is believing in the grace promised to us and speaking from there. (You still speak - you are just open to discipleship).

Humans fascinate me. Everything works like carefully crafted, intertwined patchwork. I could write for hours on how I’m learning each characteristic of God that He desires in us is moulded together, and each relevant for the grow of each other… Kind of like humans.
I am confident in His blood, but the Kingdom of God amazes me and that alone keeps me seeking humility and Grace.

I Only Talk Because You Ask

I met a man today. Scott. Scott lives in a tent on a beach, unwillingly. His teeth are stained yellow and in need of drastic dental work, not from a lifestyle of unrestricted access to chocolate bars and candy.. But rather no doubt ruined from feeding off cigarette adrenalin and evenings of eating Chinese leftovers from the six dollars he openly received on the street for the day. He’s a labourer.
‘Any labour work! Anything and everything,’ he protested.

He observed the people walking past his cardboard sign and commented on how it’s quietning down. A lady, possibly high or skizophrenic, walked past and pushed my friend in the back. We’re not used to being misused in middle class. Nor are they used to us disposing ourselves to change our perspective and see through new eyes.

‘Scott, have many Christians helped you before?’ I asked.
‘Sometimes…’ he commented.

He points to the church building nearly directly in front of us.

‘… But I’ve been sitting here on this street every Sunday morning and not one person has come over from that church to speak to me.’

My friend and I left, and sore.

Our people are living on the streets. Our people are forcibly, living on the streets. Our people are being abused. Our people are hurting, and broken. And yet the Church holds something dearly close that enables gives the ability to function in a healthy lifestyle with exuberant joy..
The Love of God.

For the poor will never cease out of the land; therefore I command you, You shall open wide your hands to your brother, to your needy, and to your poor in your land. - Deuteronomy 15:11 AMP.

Come, and follow (but you’re carrying too much..)

God showed me a beautiful moment of His redemptive love yesterday. A young man, after years of abuse, confusion, depression, standing and worshipping Jesus.

It’s what led me to today’s revelation. 

“One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in Heaven; and come, follow me.” But when he heard these things, he became very say, for he was extremely rich. Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the Kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” Luke 18:25.2-25

When Jesus asked us to sell everything and follow him, there was an offer of an exchange. Everything God asks us to do in loving Him involves an exchange. God never leaves us empty handed. There is a kindness to God that we cannot comprehend unless we have areas in our life that require kindness. We cannot understand the beautiful character of God that ministers to our wounded places if we are not vulnerable to Him. I think, in a sense, He asked us to sell everything because in doing so we become yielded and surrendered to Him, but as an exchange, we have a mindset that becomes awakened to God’s blessing because we then have areas that need to be blessed. There is a fullness of His characteristics that we don’t often understand or see because we simply have too many things in the way. He called us to live a possession-less life so that we see His goodness in our daily walk as He provides for us abundantly and beautifully. Philippians 4:19 tells us that He will provide for our every need through His glorious riches. You want to know glory? Surrender your needs to Him and let Him fulfil His promise to you.

He is ministering to me with knowledge. He is ministering to me with wisdom, and vision, and understanding. I love my Jesus. 

Face The Facts

“Without becoming weak in faith he [Abraham] contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God has promised, He was able also to perform.”
Romans 4v19-21.

What a man Abraham was to adequately evaluate his flesh of both beauty and dust and realise that though his body is merely a vessel on earth, it is made perfectly to encapsulate God’s glory and perform His will. One version of this verse says: “Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead - since he was about a hundred years old - and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.” The line that my mind instantly highlighted was that in bold. We are not to be idealistic Christians - we do not live exempt from the limitations of our flesh and soul. Most people live day in and day out responding to the flesh’s demands (we are called higher). Battles I had faced during the day in my mind were understanding my youth and my incapability because of lack of qualifications, class, ‘cool’ factor, openness (outside of Truth) and connect with the generation around me. When I read verse then, I understood it necessary to apply to my prayer life and in shaping my character paradigm. The promises God has for us and His desire to lead us into abundant living does not depend on your outward circumstance, your earthly characteristics - but rather rely solely on God’s unchanging character and His love for us.

Lord, I face the fact that I am young. I face the fact that I am small. I face the fact that my family is my family. I face the fact that I am not qualified. I face the fact that you gave me my emotions. Lord, I call in the confidence Abraham had in Romans 4. I declare his faith and courage to ‘face the facts’ of my human state and believe in Your promises to step into my calling.