Christian Outdoor Object Lesson 47: Humblebees

Key Text

"For who is greater, one who sits at the table, or one who serves? Isn’t it he who sits at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.” Luke 22:27 (WEB)

Lesson

Have you ever wondered where bumblebees got their name? It is a fitting name because they do seem to bumble around as they hunt for flowers. In fact, early on in the science of entomology (the study of insects) this hard working bee went by another name --humblebee. It is thought this name came about as a result of the distinct hum bumblebees make as they fly. This hum is made by their wings which beet at around 130 times per minute. The name bumblebee came about later and for a short amount of time the two names were used for the same insect. Eventually, bumble be became the only name listed in scientific texts and humblebee was relegated to the past.

Bumblebees are very hard workers. The entire colony works hard to serve the queen. Bees are known for their hardworking nature. they are so effective at pollinating that they are considered one of the best pollinator insects. Their fast wings spread flower pollen more effectively than other insects. This is known as buzz pollination and enables plants to produce more fruit. Worker bees gather pollen for food, clean and guard the nest. The queen is left with nothing to do but lay and hatch eggs. The queen will outlive the entire colony.1 But the worker bees do not complain. They go about their work faithfully carrying out the task God has given them. Humblebee seems to be a good name for them for more than one reason.

Jesus had workers while here on earth. In Luke 22 we find them arguing about who among them was the greatest. Jesus gave them an important lesson which is one of the most memorable in the Bible. He said to them, “The kings of the nations lord it over them, and those who have authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’ But not so with you. But one who is the greater among you, let him become as the younger, and one who is governing, as one who serves." (verses 25-26, WEB). In other words, if you want to be the greatest, you need to focus on serving others. Jesus had to repeat this lesson multiple times to his disciples. They only finally got it once he had gone back to heaven.

In God's kingdom, love for others is what matters most. It is easy to want to make ourselves the best. How long do you thing a colony of bees would last if they were all trying to be queen? Certainly not long. Then not only would the bees cease to exist but we would loose an important insect that helps produce our food. If we want to truly be workers for God, then we need to take a lesson from the humblebee.

Questions

Has anyone ever done something for you they did not have to? Were they humble about it?

The lesson said we should not work to be at the top but serve others instead, is this easy to do?

Have you ever served someone with a humble attitude? How about someone who did not deserve it?

Is humility good for us or just the people we show it to? Why?

Sources

1 Alina Bradford. "Facts About Bumblebees." January 13, 2017. Livescience.com. Accessed February 10, 2017 from https://www.livescience.com/57509-bumblebee-facts.html. 

Written by David F. Garner
Photo credit: 324082 via www.pixabay.com

Leadership Lessons Series: Conflict Resolution

Key Verse
“with all lowliness and humility, with patience, bearing with one another in love;” Ephesians 4:2 WEB


Lesson

Conflict. It’s a dreaded word. No one likes it, yet it never goes away. It is a result of sin and has been present since Adam and Eve first ate the forbidden fruit. And, we can be sure it will continue until Jesus comes again a restores all. But we do not have to fear it. Jesus himself did not shy away from conflict. He often engaged those who purposely tried to use conflict against him. He used it to teach lessons. He also used it to show the true nature and intent of those who sought to undermine him. What can we learn from Jesus about how to deal with conflict?

The most important lesson Jesus reiterated over and over was humility. The Bible teaches humility from cover to cover. And Jesus especially stressed this. Humility is difficult. But it is necessary for swift conflict resolution. Western society tends to view humility as weak. That is untrue. Humility usually takes more strength and character than lashing out and hurling accusations. Humility means to listen and be patient. It means to consider the other parties view prior to concluding it is erroneous. Jesus never cut other off, but let them finish before making His counter arguments. Patients and love were always central to his conflict resolution. See Ephesians 4:2.

Once we have a humble attitude, then we can proceed to solve the conflict. Jesus left some very specific advice for resolving conflict in Matthew 18. It specifically addresses disagreements in church, but the principles apply in any situation whether church, school, work, or home. We often desire to be provided with simple, straightforward steps we can take to accomplish things. It this case, Jesus gave us some simple steps to settle disputes by. There are 7 steps laid out in verse 15-17. Here they are:

1. “Initiate the contact (v. 15).

2. Confront the person in private (v. 15).

3. If no resolution comes, meet again with one or two more people, [perhaps including a superior] (v. 16).

4. Confirm the facts in the meeting and work towards a solution (v. 16).

5. If no resolution comes, bring the issue before the church or organization (v. 17).

6. Agree on the truth and appropriate options for the offender (v. 17).

7. If no resolution comes, release the offender from the church or organization (v. 17).”1 If you are not in a position to do this, consider if you must separate yourself from the church or organization.

There are two final but no less important keys to remember. We should always do our best to live in harmony with everyone, Romans 12:16-18. It is wise to attempt to resolve disagreements and conflicts early rather than let them go and grow unimpeded. Second, is to always pray about everything, Philippians 4:6. Paul reminds us to take everything to God including our struggles and disagreements. Jesus also commands us to pray for our enemies. While our conflicts are usually not with complete enemies, the concept is the same. 

This last key is especially important when we are in positions of leadership. We must pray for wisdom and patience to know how to deal with conflict in a Godly manner because others are watching. In positions of leadership we should always demonstrate God’s principles. We must be mindful not to misrepresent God in our leadership. Jesus did not leave us on our own to figure the best way to solve conflict. He left us a model, keys, and steps by which we can handle our disagreements so they would not hamper the work of His kingdom!

Sources

1 Maxwell, John C. "Conflict Resolution: Jesus Taught How To Manage Conflict."The Maxwell Leadership Bible: New King James Version. Nashville: Tomas Nelson, 2002. 1176. Print.


Written By David F. Garner
Photo Credit: Skeeze

Leadership Lessons Series: Leadership Compass

Are you a good leader? Are you a great leader? You might be the leader of an international ministry. You may have turned a failing ministry around. Maybe you are just a volunteer leader without much experience. Maybe you have led 25 people to baptism in the last year. Perhaps you have never led anyone to baptism. No matter, these are not the things that define great leaders!

As Jesus exemplified throughout his time on earth, being a great leader has nothing to do with results! In John 13 Jesus gives his disciples their last lesson in leadership before his death. Here we find the story of Jesus taking on the role of a servant and washing all the disciple’s feet. The lesson Jesus wanted them to remember was humility. All throughout scripture, humility is prized above all other leadership characteristics. When Jesus chose his disciples, he chose men of lowly status whom were not proud, but humble.

Humility entails many characteristics. The most important is an approachable, learning attitude. The polar opposite of humility is pride or arrogance. An attitude of superiority and knowing everything is incompatible with humility. Jesus was one of the greatest teachers to ever live. Yet he did not know everything and even admitted so. He said in Matthew 24:36 that he did not know the day nor the hour of his return to earth. Jesus was humble and displayed this through his dependence on his Father.

John F. Kennedy said, “Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” A great leader is one who is continually learning to be better and do better! Specifically, a great leader is one who learns to lead well. Learning leadership skills is an important factor to learning to lead well. More importantly, learning what areas of leadership you can grow in is critical.
Do you know what areas of your leadership skills have room for growth? The best way to determine the answer to this question is with a leadership assessment.

There are many leadership assessments out there. My favorite is the Leadership Compass Self-Assessment. I like it for several reasons. First of all, there are only four categories. Additionally, rather than good or bad leadership skills, every person is seen as capable of growing in each direction. And perhaps the best reason, it is based on the directions of a compass! It’s as if it was made for outdoor enthusiasts!

The Leadership Compass draws from a book called the Four-Fold Way. The four directions in the book are described as warrior (north), healer (south), teacher (west), and visionary (east). The actual assessment uses more 21st century friendly categories. All directions have profound strengths and potential weaknesses, and each direction has a primary "human resource," including power (north), love (south), wisdom (west), and vision (east), as well as primary struggles, associated with loss or difficulty. Each person can access the gifts associated with each direction. So which directions do you tend toward? Try it out for yourself or your ministry team!

Click Here to view the Leadership Compass Self-Assessment

Sources

Kennedy, John F. "Leadership Quotes." BrainyQuote. Accessed September 03, 2016. http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_leadership.html.

Written By David F Garner

Christian Outdoor Object Lesson 41: God In The Storm

 

Key Verse

“He makes the storm a calm, so that its waves are still. Then they are glad because it is calm, so he brings them to their desired haven.” Psalm 107:29-30 WEB

Lesson

Note: This object lesson is most effective while witnessing a live storm or natural disaster from a safe distance. When real fear of the storm is present there is a powerful teachable moment in which the fearful can be led to find reassurance in God’s promises as in Mark 4. 

Have you ever felt the raw power of nature in a storm? It is humbling. It makes you feel small and helpless. Humans have control of many things on earth through technology. But storms remind us how little control we have over our lives and even this moment! This feeling can be frightening. You may have had a pet that ran and hid at every thunder or lightning strike. Perhaps you wanted to do the same.

We are fearful of storms and natural disasters for a good reason. They cause harm and death. Why does God allow these bad things to happen?  There are many reasons given throughout the Bible. The most important one is that storms are a result of sin. Pain and death were not in God’s original plan. We live in a lost and broken world. But the Bible has good news! Here is a list of promises from the Bible to recall when you are in the midst of a storm of any kind.

Psalm 107:28-31

Nahum 1:7

Isaiah 25:4

Psalm 91 (especially v. 2)

Psalm 89:8-9

Joshua 1:9

Deuteronomy 31:8

James 1:2-5

Revelation 21:5

These promises tell us that God is in control even through the storm. They remind us that he can bring us through unharmed. And that, even if he does not, he has promised to make all things new and to wipe away every tear! God is the Creator of all things. No matter how big the storm or natural disaster, God is still in control, and he cares for you! Remember this, “Yet in the midst of heartache and loss of life, God suffers too, just like He did when His own Son died upon a cross.”1 God promises in Psalm 107 to bring us to our “desired haven”, and indeed he will when he returns!

Questions

Have you ever felt God did not care that you were experiencing a storm in your life?

Do you believe that God will keep his promises to be with us even in the midst of a storm?

What can you do when you feel afraid or unsure of what to do?

Sources

GLOW (Giving Light to Our World). Making Sense of Natural Disasters. Goodlettsville: GLOW, 2011. Print.

By David F. Garner

Photo Credit: David F. Garner