The Tribune

By Rev Angela Palacious

WE have come this far by faith and by hard work on the part of those engaged in building rather than tearing down. We have had forty years to test ourselves as a people. Where do we go from here?

Let us consider seven building blocks with which to build this nation: Leadership, Inspiration, Trustworthiness, Faithfulness, Dedication, Commitment, and Good Stewardship. We may need to cultivate them personally if we find ourselves to be deficient.

LEADERSHIP: A great leader leads by example. Such a leader does not need to coerce members to follow, but inspires them to follow. A great leader has a vision, a mission, is motivated, enthusiastic, passionate, and knows how to bring out greatness in others. Are we great leaders in our own right? I pray that the answer is yes. May we always be led by the grace of God so that we may then lead others to Christ.

INSPIRATION: This is the idea while perspiration is often the result of the labour that it takes to bring the idea to birth. It is the ability to see what God sees and to show others what we see. It is a positive word and a positive influence. It means being the wind beneath the wings of a person or an organization.

Some questions for us to ask ourselves are:

1. How inspiring am I?

2. Do I leave persons and places better off because I have been around them?

3. Is my mind open to new ideas?

4. Am I able to communicate this to others effectively?

5. Do I help groups with which I am affiliated to move forward or backward?

TRUSTWORTHINESS: This describes someone in whom trust may be placed not to disappoint when given a responsibility. It may be expressed as confidence in the ability to depend on the person, and a feeling of security in an intimate relationship. Most of us know what it is to have a car that can break down at any time, or a friend who is not reliable, and this is why it is such a valuable character trait. When are you at your best and with whom? When are you most likely to fail and why?

God is trustworthy. We can put our trust in God’s faithfulness. We may not understand God’s ways as God’s thoughts and plans are so much greater than our finite minds can comprehend, but we can trust that God is loving and good. Unless the Lord builds this nation, we labour in vain.