Genesis 36...

In the mist of all the sons of Esau and the rulers of Edom there is one overriding thought there. The phrase is praticularly more noticable in the last part of the chapter as the kings are listed.

Did you catch it? It's one phrase that is consistent with all of them.

How about now?

All right, I'll tell you. "_________, succeeded him as king."

To me this has many different implications:
As a dad, how I train Barak will have a dramatic effect in how he trains his children.
As a husband, how I treat Misty makes a difference in how people see love in a marriage.
As a pastor, how I challenge and teach today will change how the next generation of leaders accept their call.
As a leader, I am reminded that eventually someone will be following in the steps that I am no longer walking in. Merge will eventually (hopefully many, many years down the road) be under the leadership of another man.

Our lives are very much cycles of breathing and eating and sleeping and doing. One day it will wrap up. Now the good news is that we have a say in how well our stories end. We can influence the person that will succeed us. In fact great leaders will always leave their organization in better hands than it was previously (if they were doing their job as a mentor).

I am reminded of a verse in the book of Daniel that reminds me how everything I do is simply a stewardship rewarded to me by my Heavenly Father. "The Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and He gives them to anyone He wishes."

I hope you realize that one day the world will revolve without you. If you are doing your job, your company, your department, your team will be able to survive without you. But don't let that be your excuse to shuck responsibility, rather let it motivate you to go all out as you make a great difference in this world.

Heart and Soul,
BAG
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