AN EPITAPH

An entry in my last week’s blogging used the term legacy. A dictionary definition is “something handed down from an ancestor or a predecessor or from the past.” A method for a person to begin narrowing his legacy to match his life purpose is to write an epitaph.

An epitaph speaks about how a person wants others to remember him. Others would know a person first sought the kingdom of God if they remembered him as a follower of Jesus. Others would know a person’s life glorified God if his epitaph read, “Good and faithful servant.”

Others would know a married man was one with his wife if they remember him as a man who served his wife like Jesus serves His bride, the church on earth. Others would know this man was filled with the Holy Spirit when they remember he loved unconditionally, lived joyously, was a peacemaker, modeled patience, shared kindness, was good hearted and constantly focused upon excellent character, related to everyone faithfully, behaved in gentle meekness, and displayed self control.

Others would know a father raised Godly offspring if his children all knew Jesus and was the father’s greatest source of evangelism. This father would not have angered his children. His epitaph would read, “Here rests a father who multiplied his witness of Jesus exponentially through his children’s children.”

Others would remember a joyous man because he lived life abundantly, free in Jesus, and had lots of fun. Although writing an epitaph does not sound like fun, others would know this man knew his life purpose and was content with how he spent his greatest resource on earth – time. A man who wants to leave a legacy will use his time wisely.

ENTREPRENEUR

An entrepreneur grabs an opportunity without having control over all of the resources. An entrepreneur first has to recognize an opportunity. An entrepreneur develops his ability to recognize an opportunity when accelerating failure.

An entrepreneur does not view the reality that challenges are in store as a problem. An entrepreneur knows problems will come up but is confident solving problems when the challenge arises. The entrepreneur constantly learns how to learn and a challenge positively accelerates learning how to learn.

Learning how to learn increases emotional intelligence and has little to do with a measured intelligence quotient. Failing at a high velocity most quickly nourishes emotional intelligence. Upon failing an entrepreneur naturally learns how to learn and will most efficiently and effectively meet the challenge.

Learning how to learn while meeting challenges sharpens an entrepreneur’s ability to make correct snap decisions. The higher the emotional intelligence the higher the confidence and the less second guessing occurs. The absence of second guessing eliminates analysis paralysis.

When analysis paralysis is absent the entrepreneur recognizes opportunities more rapidly. The entrepreneur makes snap decisions about lucrative opportunities and eradicates less valuable opportunities. Even if the entrepreneur incorrectly chooses one opportunity over another the entrepreneur is grateful for the opportunity to sort through opportunities because the sorting process causes the entrepreneur to learn how to learn better.

This process best defines the term opportunist. A faithful entrepreneur who is a humble opportunist knows to serve or to meet a need. When an entrepreneur serves others’ best interests or meets the need of others, the resource of money will follow collaterally.

THREE STRUCTURES

Three structures in which servant leaders may work are government, organizations like churches, and business. I chose business. None are wrong or right. I was called to business. My strengths and talents best match with serving as an entrepreneur.

The wisdom of leadership is providing clarity. Humans who are followers of leaders have common fears. A significant fear is fear of the future. Fearing the future causes uncertainty. When a leader is clear the leader is communicating certainty for the best interests of the followers.

A leader must first strive for clarity in his own life. A leader must embrace a purpose to focus on the direction for his life. A leader must struggle and persevere to strengthen his character and to have hope about following a plan to meet his purpose. The clarity about his purpose dispels fear and allows confidence in his direction, plan, and steps within his course of action.

A leader must get help. A leader must have mentors. A leader must surround himself with other servant leaders who are smart about what the maturing leader needs them to be smart about. With others surrounding the leader, the leader best eradicates distractions to more rapidly gain on his personal development. Anyone who makes the leader accountable helps the leader stayed focused.

HOW WOULD YOU CHANGE YOUR LIFE?

While I worshiped one Sunday morning, the preacher asked, “How would you change your life if you knew the day you would die?” The sermon was solely on this topic. Unknowingly the preacher rephrased the question while plugging away at his prepared topic, “How would you change your life if you knew the day Jesus was coming back?” Is the truth the two questions have different answers?

The answer to the first question involves legacy and maximizing talent. Stewardship in this case involves using all resources most wisely. Those resources are going to survive after death. After all, most people have someone else to take care of after their death. The deceased’s living spouse and children need a bounty of resources to survive.

The resources of reputation and raising godly offspring survive after death. If the deceased was a clear follower of Jesus the deceased’s reputation lives on pointing to Jesus. With children the deceased passes on the deceased’s greatest contribution to evangelism also as the children’s children of the decease continue pointing to Jesus.

The answer to the second question is specifically about witnessing. Urgency is the highest calling as a laborer for the Lord. Those with the talent of reaping must come to the forefront because time for sowing seeds and cultivating grows short. Stewardship strictly involves souls and using time most wisely.

However the answers mysteriously are not mutually exclusive. They both bring peace beyond human understanding through Christ Jesus. In either case the Holy Spirit is after souls while using the love of Jesus for eternal multiplication.

LEGACY

American citizens over the age of eighty were asked, “What would you have focused more on in your life if you had to do it all over again.” Most respondents stated they would have worked more diligently on their legacy. My legacy is to continue developing an enterprise that contributes more and more to organizations effectively pointing singly to Jesus.

Over 20 years ago I read a book about a man from Ohio named Stanley Tam. When Mr. Tam started his business, he provided ten percent of the gross proceeds from his business to organizations effectively pointing singly to Jesus. During the decades Mr. Tam grew his business he incrementally provided larger percentages. His business grew to provide ninety percent of gross proceeds to organizations effectively pointing singly to Jesus.

An enterprise like Mr. Tam’s business is much bigger and greater than the founder. My vision is to continue developing an enterprise that allows all involved to maximize their strengths within their clear roles so the enterprise efficiently operates with an increasing profit margin.

The enterprise in which I devote one hundred percent of my effort and expertise is my law firm. Metz Legal Services maintains long-term relationships with people who own businesses and customizes its expert and practical legal consulting services to meet client needs in growth, compliance, and wealth planning. My purpose is to learn how to learn better, to communicate clearly, and to encourage others.

I am committed to communicate clearly on my blog. I hope something on my blog encourages somebody. I trust I will continue to learn more and more about clearly communicating and encouraging others as I add to my blog.

THE BEGINNING

To have a beginning I must start at the top: Jesus. Without Jesus there is no beginning. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” John 1:1-3. In the beginning God speaking words equals God creating.

The highest calling of human life involves the Spirit’s control of words. “And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.” James 3:2b. Words are important to Jesus as He says, “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Matthew 12:36-37.

I cannot lovingly use the Word of God to prove myself right. The Word of God shows me where my thinking is not lining up with God’s will. “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” II Timothy 3:16. God’s Word will not allow me to “be conformed to this world, but” I will “be transformed by the renewal of” my “mind, that by testing” I “may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2.

God’s will is that I pass on to others the Word of Jesus. “Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9.

No words of mine can ever compare to the truth about Jesus. So with that said, I have begun my blog.