Tom Bodett once said, “In school you’re taught a lesson and then given a test.  In life you’re given a test that teaches you a lesson” (Johnny Hunt, Building Your Leadership Resume, 177).

Solomon wrote of wisdom, “To you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men.  O naïve ones, discern prudence; and, O fools, discern wisdom”—Proverbs 8: 4-5.

Jesus said, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore be shrewd as serpents, and innocent as doves”—Matthew 10: 16.

God wants to move us from simplicity to wisdom.  And as my walk with Jesus has intersected life events in the last 17 months, God has begun to move me away from simplicity and I hope toward greater wisdom.  Here are a few lessons God is still teaching me through these important days of testing:

Lesson #1—The enemy does not play fair but he does play for keeps.

Lesson #2—People will judge your motives.  Expect to be misunderstood.

Lesson #3—People will tend to believe the last thing they heard.

Lesson #4—Facts are important, but people don’t always care about the facts.

Lesson #5—Decisions are easier to make than they are to live with.

Lesson #6—That which is your life is someone else’s hobby.

Lesson #7—The enemy is relentless…like the tide, he just keeps coming.

Lesson #8—Everyone would like a mulligan, but God gives grace.  So learn from your mistakes and move on.

Lesson #9—Whatever you say will be repeated…sooner or later.

Lesson #10—Your best efforts will always get mixed reviews.

Lesson #11—Difficulty reveals character, so face your sins quickly and make necessary changes on first sight.

Lesson #12—Every circumstance is an opportunity.  Make the most of it.

Lesson #13—Just because you didn’t ask for it, doesn’t mean you’re not going to get it.

Lesson #14—Little decisions make a big difference.

Lesson #15—Relationships are fragile…trust leaks quickly.

Lesson #16—People are fickle, so believe in people, but trust in God.

Lesson #17—The kitchen is too hot for most people.

Lesson #18—It’s okay that things change, and it’s wonderful that God never does.

Lesson #19—Timing is key…strike while the iron is hot, but make sure it’s hot before you strike.

Lesson #20—Jesus is closer than you think…lean hard into Him.

But there’s more:

Lesson #21—You choose your decisions, but you can never manage the consequences of those decisions.  So decide wisely.

Lesson #22—The mission is bigger than you…if it’s not, your mission is too small.

Lesson #23—The greater your responsibilities, the fewer choices you have.

Lesson #24—The deeper your relationship with another person grows, the more grace is required for both of you.

Lesson #25—People don’t always remember the things you want them to remember.

Lesson #26—God gives victories even in the most difficult circumstances.  Learn to celebrate the victories.

Lesson #27—Don’t let anything steal your joy.

Lesson #28—The next days are the best days because Jesus is Lord.

Very simply, God wants to move us from naïveté to wisdom, and He uses whatever means necessary to train our hearts and to reposition our lives for His purposes.  Thankfully, He is committed to finish what He starts in us.

Question:  What major leadership lessons have you learned in the last year?

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Everyone wants to finish well. But starting well makes finishing well a whole lot easier.  This post is my first on this new WordPress Site.  Here are a few things I’ve learned about starting something new.  Maybe it will help you.  Feel free to add your comments and suggestions.

Know where you’re going. You don’t have to know how to get there and you don’t need all the details about the finish line, but you need a target.  What are you going after?  What do you expect to accomplish?  All false starts aren’t obvious at first, but they become obvious when you are aimlessly wandering around.

Get help. This takes a little time, but you need a roadmap.  You need to learn from someone who is already successfully doing what you want to do.  Do research.  Read and listen to others. Watch how others do what you want to do, and be teachable enough to learn from them.  There’s nothing new under the sun, so don’t waste time and energy re-invent the wheel.

Be yourself.  While learning from others, don’t think you must mimic others.  We are most successful when we are exactly who God made us to be.  Imitating others is boring and not very helpful.

Start before you’re ready.  This is a little difficult, but the reality is that your new venture is never perfec. That last typo was intentional.  Things are never as they should be.  Perennial hesitation will lead to frustration.

Expect delays.  I know what I just told you in point 3, but you should also remember that new stuff requires more time than you expect.  It’s like that simple Saturday morning project around the house.  It requires twice as much time as you thought it would.  But stay with it.  Don’t be discouraged by the amount of time it takes.  Good ideas are worth the effort.

Be prepared for a slow start. Not every start starts with a bang.  We see successful people, businesses, or ministries and we assume they were always big.  That’s not the case.  Many success stories operated in obscurity for quite a while before they “made it.”  There are exceptions, but most good starts aren’t noticed right away.

Stick with your stuff. If God has called you to this great work, stay at it.  Focus on good processes. Emphasize adding value to others and enjoy the journey.

Starting something new can be very intimidating, but it also stretches you to be better, to create new places of influence, and to add value to others.  So what new thing have you done lately?  What lessons did you learn?  How did the challenge change you?

Thanks for reading this article. If it was helpful, please pass it along to your friends and then subscribe to this blog to read future post.