Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Veteran Leaders have War Wounds

I had a seredipitous lunch recently with a pastor who told me how God told him two decades ago that his church would change. He then described to me in a panoramic way how God changed his church.

I walked away from that conversation with a new appreciation for the word "veteran". Normally when I think of the word "veteran", I think of a former member of the armed services or an old soldier of long service.

But "veteran" is also a person of long experience in some occupation or skill. The overlap in definition, however, is striking.

This pastor described his "war wounds". He showed me his "scars" and his "medals of honor". He described the "horrors of battle" and the "price of victory". He detailed the "heavy losses" as well as the "fantastic gains".

Such are all veteran leaders in the kingdom of God. A price to be paid. A world to be won. A triumph to be celebrated.

What do your "war wounds" look like? Describe to me your "scars". What does the "victory" look like?