To be or to be known? (Shifting the focus.)

It took me by surprise the first time I read the billboard advertising the MBA program for a well-known Christian university in our area:

BE KNOWN AS A TRUSTED LEADER. 

Hm. Ok. That’s good. Trusted leaders are good. Goodness knows we could use more trusted leaders in the business world, and I’m glad that this university is training a few. However, two words bothered me, they stood out awkwardly out of place, inappropriate.

KNOWN AS?

Be known as a trusted leader? Is that the most important goal? Isn’t the real goal to be a trusted leader? Is it more important to be a trusted leader or be known as a trusted leader?

I get why they advertise that way. Appealing to the business world, it is important to be known, recognized–that’s how you earn business. But ultimately, for a believer, even a believer in the business world (since there’s no sacred-secular duality!), isn’t it more important to be something than to be known as something? 

I’m not throwing stones here, at least I’m not throwing stones that I haven’t already thrown at myself. A few months ago I was reading The Lost Art of Listening, and reading some convicting  material on learning to listen well. The author pointed out that most of us want to be “good listeners” more than we want to actually listen.

See the difference? Where is the focus?

On us.

Ouch.

When I want to “be a good listener” what I’m really wanting is for people to think of me as good listener. I want them to want to talk to me, to value me, to think I’m a good friend. The author even goes so far as to point out that sometimes while we’re listening we’re actually thinking about ourselves and how we’re trying to be a good listener. We can have all the right responses–nodding the head, saying mmhmmm, and making eye contact. But as long as we are focused on ourselves, We’re not truly listening.

We cannot truly listen and empathize until we suspend our focus on self and choose to focus solely on that person.

And, I would suggest, we cannot be trusted leaders until we quit trying to “be known as a trusted leader” and begin focusing our attention on the needs of others and how we can serve them through leading them to Christlikeness, wholeness, health. As long as our focus is on ourselves, we aren’t much use as a leader!

It’s subtle, but it’s a small and important steps toward growing more like Jesus. He is the ultimate example of suspending self for the good of others (Phil 2). Instead of being known as a good church, I want to be one, serving people and leading them to the cross. I don’t want to be known as a good wife or mother, I just want to be one. Serving the needs of my man and my kids, helping them become more and more like Jesus. I don’t want to be known as a good friend, I just desperately want to be one, providing strength and support and love to those I am honored to name friend.

Friends, we can never go wrong when we take small steps to continually shift the focus off ourselves and onto Christ and others. 

Whether or not we’re known for it, let’s be it. Amen? Amen.

{Thank you so much for reading.}