Dare Great Things For Christ

As we bring this series of letters from St. Francis to a close I thought it fitting to finish with some letters in which the Saint references his own soul.  What were the spiritual lessons that he himself learned on his journey as a Christian engaged in the affairs of the world?  By looking at the themes that he evokes in letters about himself we can find lessons that we can apply to ourselves in our situations as leaders today.  We can learn from him something of the love of God.

One thing a Christian leader can be sure of is that they will be asked to carry the cross with Jesus.  But carrying a cross isn’t easy for anybody and few of us embrace it as we should.  St. Francis de Sales, and early master of the 1600’s, knew this very well and he wrote to the leaders of this world with encouragement to carry the cross that God gave them with Jesus.  But what does this mean for us today?  By reading letters that he wrote to persons of the world we can discover some of what he meant.

The letters written by St. Francis de Sales to persons in the world represent wonderful examples of the application of true spirituality to those living amidst the cares of this world.  All of us who carry the mantle of leadership in our families or in our businesses have to find ways to keep our spirituality alive and at the same time deal with the constant pressing needs around us.  In this third segment of our series we pass on the advice of St. Francis:  Love purifies all things.

In his letter to Persons In The World, St. Francis de Sales writes admirable advice for those whose vocation it is to live in the world but not be of it.  For some Christians involving ourselves in the world is a distraction and others disparage the vocation of business as a temptation that could threaten one’s salvation.  But it was not so for St. Francis de Sales.  On the contrary, he encourages those who are called to engage in the world but gives them great advice about avoiding vanity and ambition.

St. Francis de Sales was the Bishop of Geneva in the early 1600’s.  He wrote many wonderful texts of spirituality and is considered a Doctor of the Roman Catholic Church.  He also wrote many letters, especially to people who were in the world, that is, lay faithful who were entrusted with the charges of family, business, and politics.  These letters are treasures of wisdom and spirituality, and we begin the first of our series with a letter on inner peace.

Let’s face it, most of our thoughts about leadership position leaders as folks on the top.  People who have pushed the envelope and have succeeded against great odds.  Is there anything to say for those who have not gone to the top?  People who for one reason or another are in second place.  In the life of John the Baptist we can’t help noticing that Jesus did not call him to be an Apostle.  In fact, He let him die as a martyr in prison without ever publicly following him.  What’s the place for leadership that’s both humble and deep?

Anyone who leads in today’s world knows how important it is to stay in the middle.  After all if we want to have impact in our world we have to belong to it.  And yet are there times when witness is necessary?  Or at least an invitation to go deeper than our customary ways?  In the life of St. John the Baptist we have the example of someone who was extraordinarily successful in his leadership and then put it all on the line to bear witness to the truth.  In this episode we let him inspire us.

The life of St. John the Baptist is a study in detachment.  From forsaking the goods of this earth and the relationships of natural human society to going without in his many forms of asceticism to finally letting go to his own claim to glory and his own claim to his disciples.  St. John the Baptist was poor in spirit.  And yet his influence was extremely powerful. What is the connection between his poverty of heart and the incredible influence that he gave as a Christian leader?

Leadership puts us in the spotlight.  Like it or not, leaders are out in front.  If we follow the ways of the world, the natural prominence of leadership can result in negative consequences like arrogance and self conceit.  It was just the opposite, however, for St. John the Baptist.  He used his prominence to promote Christ and he learned how to make himself disappear behind the glory of the one who came after him.  This is Part 4 of our series on The Bold Leadership of John the Baptist.

Most of us know the figure of John the Baptist but not all of us our familiar with his actual message.  At the heart of John the Baptist’s proclamation was the phrase “Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”  What does it mean to repent and how is this essential to our leadership today?  In this third part of our series on the bold leadership of John the Baptist, we explore the meaning and significance of his proclamation and show how it impacts us even today.