Have you ever noticed how programmed our society is as regards the subject of permission?  Watch very carefully the next time you are around any group of people who are experiencing some type of challenge or major problem that needs immediate resolution.  Whenever such a significant problem or challenge comes up there always seems to be hesitation on most folk’s part to handle the problem, resolve it, and then get on with their lives.   Leaders are decisive people.  Leaders are problem solvers……Failures aren’t.   

It just seems like so very many people cannot accept personal responsibility and take charge of a situation, correct the problems that need correcting or the issues at hand and “fix-it” without first looking around or waiting for someone else’ s permission or approval before taking any action on their own and solving the problem.  I call it the “follow-the-leader” mentality.  Everyone just sits around waiting for someone else to do something to solve the problem instead of getting up, beginning to move, and solving the problem themselves. 

One of the biggest problems as I see it today is that so very few people have any desire to stand up, speak up, and begin taking the necessary action to fill the wanting leadership role.  Earning, achieving, or declaring yourself as the leader of any other person or group of individuals, does not necessarily make you or anyone else a leader.  True leadership is totally taking action and leading by example!  Taking action means, at least to me, that one begins to do what a real leader does.  True leadership is taking charge of a given situation and solving its challenges regardless of what someone else  says, thinks, or does.  Leaders…Lead.  They do not look for other people’s approval to perform. 

Now let’s go all the way back to your toddler years.  Your parents and other authority figures in your life were the ones who taught you to have their approval before you began to act.  You learned from them to seek permission before doing almost anything.  As you grew and matured over your adolescent and teenage years, your school teachers for the most part simply re-confirmed getting their permission or personal approval before you were allowed to complete a task or even choose what you wanted to learn or do.  The high school and college system prepared you to get a job which you did and now your employer required or even demanded that you were to have their personal approval before doing your job as they assigned it to you. 

Now comes along your adult years of life, and lo and behold, you get slapped in the face with the fact that as a 21+year old man or woman, you have never been trained or even taught how to make decisions on your own,…how to recognize and assess an existing problem or challenge and then formulate a solution to the problem and take action to resolve it!  You do not know that which you do not know!  So why do we have this ongoing failure to perform problem?…. Because whenever people are faced with a challenge instead of resolving it, they naturally do what they were trained and taught to do and that is to go get someone else’s permission or approval before they take charge and solve the problem.  THIS IS COMPLETE NONSENSE!  

You can lead just as well as anyone else,….but not from the sitting position!  Leadership is performed from the front.  Real leaders are always the ones who lead by example,…they are doing that which they are teaching others (their followers) how to do and that is to be actively involved! 

When you were conceived, God did not “short-change” you.  In almost all instances, you were given the same quantity of brains and grey matter that everyone else was given.  The quantity of leadership ability that was apportioned to you equalled that which was given to everyone else.  You have all that you need to accomplish the plan God has predetermined for your life, just the way you are,…right now!  You just have to start using it! 

Now comes the greatest part.  Once you have an established spiritual root to your life, that is to say that once you have become a Christian, then you can rest in the Peace of Christ full well knowing that you need no mortal man’s approval to do what God has told you to do as is recorded in the Holy Scriptures.    

Your personal obedience to the Word of God far outweighs and supersedes that which man tries to tell you to do.  Your submission to and performance of the teachings and instructions of the Word of God is that which you must pay absolute attention to if you desire His blessings in your life.   

Never lose sight of the fact that there is a real and true Judgement Seat of Christ.  And as a “born-again believer,” your spirit will one day stand before The Lord Jesus and have to give a full account of your thoughts, decisions, words, and actions you have taken or failed to take since your conversion and salvation.  No excuses will be acceptable as reasons why you would not or could not be faithfully obedient with the use of your knowledge and personal instructions given to you by The Lord.  

Of course, there are always going to be rules and regulations in our physical world today that will carry with them lots of different rules and absolutes concerning how you are to do things man’s way and what is or is not legally acceptable according to man and his laws.  There will also be all kinds of people, trained and untrained, eager to tell you what you can and cannot say or do.  There may come into  your life,… things, people, events and the like that will force you to make a clear distinction between what God says and what man says.  In the end it will ultimately be your own call, but I must tell you…Never violate God laws!…if you want to experience His protection and rewards.  God is a just and a jealous God.  He will not take back seat to anyone or anything else.  He demands to take first position in your life,….never second just behind some foolish law put into place by a mortal man. 

Now I fully realize some of you readers are going to be totally against what I have just said, but that is completely immaterial.  Why? Because God does not require or even need your personal approval or agreement for His Rules to prevail.  God’s Truth is just that….God’s Truth with or without your approval.  

Stay humble, there is no need for arrogance on your part.  There is never a need to become angry or upset whenever another person comes crashing  into your life trying to tell you everything you can and cannot do or say.  If you are a real Believer in Christ Jesus, then He is your authority.  When you are obedient to His Word and His guidance, He is glorified to the world and you will be so rewarded just as He promises to provide to you. 

So here is how it all works.  Obey man’s laws whenever and wherever you can.  Obey man’s instructions when they are in concert with God’s Laws.  BUT if you are ever faced with an “either-or” situation where you are placed into the uncomfortable position of having to choose who it is that you will follow,…permit me to strongly and powerfully exhort you to always stay on  the God-side of life.  If you stay on God’s side, you will never regret it.  If you don’t stay on His side,….you will live to see the day that you do deeply regret it.  Don’t take the chance.  Play it safe.  Stay on the side of your Savior!  Why?  Because your eternal security and the quality of it,… depends upon it….that is why! 

Peace and Love to All of You………………..Poppa Bear