Utility V(alue) Relationship

While reading over one of my college books on leadership, I noticed something I'm not sure I saw before. In it are the "definitions" of leadership per the text of the book. However, as I was reading, something stuck out. While the huge compilation of information is daunting, there are only two premises or foundations and not only "leaders" but followers possess them. Those two foundations are influence and domination. Two basic principles God told Adam (mankind) to rule the earth with. While continuing reading, something else occurred to me. Definitions in a context can mean there is a foundational understanding. Persuasion/behavior is influence and driver-ship/doer/doing is domination. A shepherd of a flock of sheep or people, hence leader, may possess both. But we are talking about the flock without talking about the individual, the mentor-mentee RELATIONSHIP. What and how a "leader" behaves and does influences. The group theory approach became more prominent in the 1940's and I wonder if that is where RELATIONSHIP began to become distanced and the chain between humanity weakened. If Jesus Christ would have adopted this human reasoning, He certainly would not have left the 99 to go after the one. Certainly, groups can still get things done, but it recognizes a utility of people rather than a value of one person. I wonder if THIS is the place the church, called Christ lost it's "influence" and subjected it's doing to a human and organizational understanding rather than an organic perspective.

In Leadership: Theory and Practice/Seventh Edition, Northouse in context says, "The group focus gave way to the organizational behavior approach, where leadership became viewed as "initiating and maintaining groups or organizations to accomplish group or organizational goals" (Rost, 1991, p. 59). Burns's (1978) definition, however, was the most important concept of leadership to emerge: "Leadership is the reciprocal process of mobilizing by persons with certain motives and values, various economic, political, and other resources, in a context of competition and conflict, in order to realize goals independently or mutually held by both leaders and followers" (p. 425). (italics added) Even the word "maintaining" does not offer progress toward anything higher or better than itself, not even, or especially not a heavenly or eternal perspective. It assumes the broad way, not the narrow.

The left has used the utility of people (how they can use or make money and keep control) rather than their value, to weaken nations, relationships between man and man, woman and woman, man and woman, child and parents and mankind to God and God to mankind. They have influenced, behaved and done something that devalues you and me...even themselves, but now they have "power", but not over God who influences all men, everywhere to repent. Some stayed in their places of leadership, influence, and doing, though their behavior changed as did some of their doing because relationship with God was restored and hence their nation saved. If the leader(s) did not, but the people did, God had a way of protecting those He knows are His...and remove the existing leaders with those after His heart. May the Lord God of Israel, Adonai, do so today, in Jesus name.

These blogs are not designed to be long, but pointed. Repentance points.....toward the bullseye, which is Jesus Christ, but not without the opportunity of the authority of forgiveness through the blood Jesus shed on the cross, whos behavior and doing produced a strength to become and add value to all of humanity, to whosoever will, on the cross next the Him or on the path with Him. He invites you to....become....a co-heir with Him, an influencer and leader. Repentance is reciprocal but not for competition, but for encouragement. While this is a post that may spark inspirational conversation (and I encourage you to), it cannot be assumed to be complete without the discussion and greater depth it deserves.

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