Ice Cream, Ice Cream… Get Your ICE CREAM/Black and White; Spoken in Blue

 This morning I woke up to a text message. 

It was a picture which simply said… 

WAIT….. Read it for yourself ….

Honestly, I did not find this funny at all. 

Not to mention, it really did not help to set the stage for a wonderful morning. 

My first reaction was if I can’t make people happy then maybe I am not supposed to be a leader. 

Let me just tell you, Satan had a field day with this thought….he was in my thoughts like flies are on poop!

Sorry; not sorry for that visual comparison. 

Immediately I began brainstorming exit strategies for relieving myself of my leadership role due to my lack of leadership qualities.  

After all, I LOVE making people happy, so CLEARLY I am not supposed to be a leader.

Then I thought this is exactly why I refused to change the word ‘individual’ to ‘leader’ in my legacy statement!!  Sorry Steve… I still haven’t changed it.  Why?

Who cares if people see me as a leader?  Like seriously, I do not count being known as a leader as a notch in my belt at all.   Individual or leader makes no difference.  It is just a title.   Can’t take it with me when I go. 

I want to be remembered by my actions; not my title.  Let me say that again.  I want to be remembered by my actions; not my title. 

My ride to school was like a war zone in my head.  

Satan throwing out ideas for possible exit strategies and God reminding me of my purpose. 

Sure, I could apply for a position at a private or Christian-based school.  I bet I could make a lot of people happy.  If I were being honest, I bet I might even be happier too.

Then an image of the children I work with on a daily basis came into my head. 

Who would be the voice for them?

Who would show them God’s love through actions?

Who would be there to guide them as they learn right from wrong and understand the why between the two?

Please don’t misunderstand me, I fully understand  I am not the only one capable of doing this and I am no superhero for doing what I try to do.   

So let me speak in blue the black and white of what God showed me. 

Leaders will not always make everyone happy.  

Jesus is the ultimate leader and he did not make everyone happy.  

You cannot always be happy; especially when growth needs to happen. 

I think that is worth repeating.  You cannot always be happy; especially when growth  needs to happen. 

I think this text bothered me because God is in the process of growing me.  He is molding me into the leader he wants me to be; not the worldly version of a leader.   Am I happy?  Honestly, not all the time.  

But if I can put this into perspective and seek words of truth, not fly covered poop, and seek his will… I will read in his word, 

“ Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? (Unqualified as a leader).  

Come to me. 

Get away with me and you’ll recover your life.  

I’ll show you how to take a real rest.  

Walk with me and work with me~ watch how I do it.  

Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.  

I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.  

Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”  

Matthew 11:28-30 The Message.

And as the day went on, I don’t think I made everyone  happy.  However, I know everything I did may have been black and white~ but it was spoken in blue. 

And now growth can occur. 

And he spoke…. And I saw…. And so did the seed which is growing. 

Remember: When the world says you must have these qualifications to  do….. God doesn't call the qualified… he qualifies those he calls. 

“The Father has given me all these things to do and say. But I am not keeping it to myself; I’m ready to go over it line by line with anyone willing to listen” 

Matthew 11:27 The Message