God can use anybody for his purposes, no matter their experience or shortcomings.  God simply desires a willingness and a heart that is honest and open… whatever the ‘call’.

While many see Moses as a leader, it is easy to forget that he was not the sole leader of the people.  He was the first but not always the strongest.  Many might say that his protégé Joshua exceeded Moses’ own leadership ability.

Joshua took the reigns from Moses, stepped into leadership at a time of great instability and turmoil, and led the children of Israel into the Promised Land (a land which Moses saw but never experienced).

Many church staff up-and-comers aspire to be a Joshua.  And while Joshua often led well, this is not the type leader that most churches really need.  They already have a Moses on the scene who’s work is not yet complete.

Many churches need an Aaron.

Aaron, Moses’ brother, comes onto the scene as a relatively unknown quantity.  Yet, he lived the leadership experience of most leaders, perhaps one might say fulfilling a more important role than even Joshua.  Few leaders are ever called to be a ‘Joshua’–to step in during a crisis after a seasoned leader is removed by God, take the reigns, and continue the pace without missing a beat.

Most leaders live their lives as an ‘Aaron’.

Aaron was selected by God to assist Moses.  Like Aaron, most leaders will not be the final authority; most will lead from within the organizational chart rather than from the top.  In a critical time of transition for Moses, God used Aaron to accomplish critical leadership functions for His kingdom, and Aaron’s leadership left a mark that can still be seen today (Exodus 4:10-17; Exodus 32:1-6; Exodus 19-29; Numbers 12:1-3; Leviticus 8:1-9).

John Maxwell says that, like Aaron, the “leader in the middle” needs to see themselves as divinely positioned by God and serve with their best effort to glorify God, just as if they were the senior leader.

The church needs less Joshua’s and more Aaron’s.

Get the word out. Teach all these things. And don’t let anyone put you down because you’re young. Teach believers with your life: by word, by demeanor, by love, by faith, by integrity. Stay at your post reading Scripture, giving counsel, teaching. (1 Timothy 4:11-13 MSG)

Timothy had been given a very difficult task at the church of Ephesus: Leading it. Paul tells Timothy, “Let no one despise your youth,” because in those days one was not considered seasoned until they were in their forties. It was an unusual situation he was stepping into, because Timothy had to minister with men who had already been elders of the church in Ephesus for a number of years. These men had been taught by the Apostle Paul himself, and yet, as the opening chapter makes clear, Timothy was expected to take the lead and if necessary even correct some of the things that were going on in the church. In the third verse of the letter, Paul encouraged:

On my way to the province of Macedonia, I advised you to stay in Ephesus. Well, I haven’t changed my mind. Stay right there on top of things so that the teaching stays on track. Apparently some people have been introducing fantasy stories and fanciful family trees that digress into silliness instead of pulling the people back into the center, deepening faith and obedience. (1 Timothy 1:3-4 MSG)

That was a tough assignment for a young man. Timothy had to know how to go about it in a way that would not arouse the ire and opposition of others. Paul instructs him in the way a young man should minister among those who are older than he. It is clear from this passage that that requires a whole life to be aimed in the right direction. Timothy couldn’t simply give lip-service, he had to daily walk the godly path—in front of others, but especially when no one was looking. In short, it required heavenly doses of integrity.

And that special gift of ministry you were given when the leaders of the church laid hands on you and prayed—keep that dusted off and in use. (1 Timothy 4:14 MSG)

Paul encourages Timothy to stand up and allow God to work through him. Paul knew Timothy’s ability and trajectory; Paul also knew that those who did not yet see it would, soon, see in Timothy what Paul himself had seen. The point the apostle makes is that, having been given a spiritual gift, Timothy is expected to use it.

A sermon is a living, breathing thing. A good one creates and sustains life through the power of the Holy Spirit and the Word. It is equal parts: content and connection. As a preacher, I must have something to say and then say it in a way that they eyes of the heart are opened. It is a, dare I say, supernatural event where the speaker is super-intended and God words are spoken. If the message has not first seared my soul as a preacher, I cannot expect it to ever sear another’s. The most powerful sermons address the concerns of both the mind and the heart.

Though many preachers’ sermons fit neatly into a paradigm box, mine rarely do. I find my style is foundationally expositional yet tends to meander through topical, textual, historical, and biographical paradigms. Perhaps a better descriptive term is: narrative. Every sermon is an opportunity to tell the story of God through the lens of the biblical text. Thus our interpretation and application must always be firmly rooted in the text itself. Matt Chandler, Pastor of the Village Church, recently said to a group of pastors: “I’ve just come to find that a lot of you are really good at clichés and really bad at tying in the Word.” Oh to God that it may NEVER be said of me!

Essentially, I agree with Rob Bell’s assessment. The world needs better sermons and I’m passionate about it. A sermon shouldn’t be boring, it should be electric. It should never be something people sit through so they can get to lunch. A good sermon should rattle your cage, disturb you, comfort you, inspire and provoke you. This is an ancient, primal art form. When you study through the prophets and look through Jesus’ sermons: whatever you did, you didn’t sit back and just evaluate them. You were caught up into something because the communicator was caught up into something.

One of the most poisonous of all Satan’s whispers is simply, “Things will never change.” That lie kills expectation, trapping our heart forever in the present. To keep desire alive and flourishing, we must renew our vision for what lies ahead. Things will not always be like this. Jesus has promised to “make all things new.” Eye has not seen, ear has not heard all that God has in store for his lovers, which does not mean “we have no clue so don’t even try to imagine,” but rather, you cannot outdream God. Desire is kept alive by imagination, the antidote to resignation. We will need imagination, which is to say, we will need hope.

While I often disagree with John’s presuppositions, use of scripture, and foundational elements, I also find much in his books to enjoy.  What a lovely paradox!

In one of my favorites, “The Way of the Wild Heart”, John leads his male readers through a six-stage, sometimes overlapping, pilgrimage.  The journey Eldredge lays out is the masculine journey as he sees it: Boyhood to Cowboy to Warrior to Lover to King to Sage, all within a mostly typical 80-year life span.  John notes that each stage must have its allotted time for learning appropriate life lessons so that a man grows deep in his foundations; otherwise, the scarring of an underdeveloped soul might result and assert itself when strength is most required.

As is John’s typical refrain, christian men and boys need something ‘epic’ for which to fight, something beyond themselves worth giving their lives for with abandon.  No matter how differing the circumstances may be, living intentionally is key, writes John, for much is at stake.

What amazing words and thoughts…. “much is at stake”….

How true.

- – - – -

3:45a – Roll out of bed and into the shower.

4:30a – Arrive at the office and log in to the Mac.

4:31a – Pray.

4:32a – Begin putting final touches on the sermon notes and outline. Why didn’t I finish this earlier in the week?

6:00a – Mostly finished with the outline, time to begin downloading any final media content for the sermon.

6:26a – I really thought that I would be done with notes by now, but I’m not. The stress is starting to build.

7:03a – The music and support teams are starting to arrive.  It’s time to pause and go program the light show for the morning.

7:42a – Back at the Mac.  Time to begin creating the sermon slides that match the message.  This is one of my favorite parts.  It allows for a of creativity and gives me a chance to be sure my notes truly make sense and flow.

8:00a – I can hear runthrough starting in the auditorium.  Now the anxiousness is beginning to set in.  And, as the music pounds through the thin walls separating my office from the auditorium, I realize that the sand is now quickly sifting through the hourglass and the mad rush the start line is on.

8:25a – The slide package is finished and transferring to the presentation computer.  The presenter notes are printed, marked, and ready. Now it’s time to edit my notes for the front prompters, and reset the layout to print notes for my Bible.

8:46a – Doors are open people are everywhere.  I’m in the copy room with my notes, scissors, and a ton of paperclips.  It’s old school, but its how I like my notes.

9:03a – Service has begun.  I’m backstage in the Green Room.

9:04a – Pray. Go over notes. Pray some more. Talk through intro. Pray again. Pace lots. Final restroom opportunity.

9:25a – Cross paths with the band as they exit and I enter the stage.  Walk to thrust. Sweating already. Lights up. Anxiety. Look up. Smile. Calmness.

9:26a – Start line.

…. these intervening moments are completely inexplicable. There is no way to convey the emotions, feelings, thoughts, etc. that occur in the preaching of the Word.  A moment where a man is something of a conduit for the voice of God.  Timothy says simply, “preach the word.” My sermons are typically inductive narratives, one idea building on another until all of the pieces come together at the end to punch through the big idea.  When done well, its powerful.  But it takes every fiber of my skill as well as a tremendous measure of grace to pull it off. By the end, I am wholly spent.  I’ve given everything in me in pursuit of ‘preaching the word.’

9:59a – Head down. Done. Walk off. Final music package starts. For the audience, it’s an emotional breathing moment, an opportunity to let the last few moments of the message sink in.

10:04a – Back on stage one last time before dismissal.  A couple sentences to wrap up and reiterate the main point of the message. Everyone stand for prayer….

10:05a – TRANSCENDENCE

…. I look across the crowd as I am having them stand for closing prayer and I realize that the greeters have opened the rear auditorium exit doors.  The sun is shining outside and the light that is now streaming through the doors and across the crows is nearly blinding.  I suddenly realize that I am sending them out into this light.  In a sense, inside this church is true reality but they are about to leave here for the mission field.  I pause.  The crowd must sense my discombobulation.  It seems like an eternity passes by as I let the light envelop me and permeate every fiber of my being.  It rushes through me like the mighty waters of a treacherous river run and I drown in it.

…. Coming to my senses, I pray.

10:07a – “Have a great week”. Lights dim. Music swells.  Everyone exits.

…. I am, in a sense, in shock. Stunned. Spent yet bathed in the transcendence of what just happened.  In less than an hour I’ll do it all again for the second service. And invariably, again, I’ll be surprised by joy.

- – - – -

That moment.  The eternity where the crowd and this preacher disappear in the light that streams from the outside world haunts me.  I can’t stop thinking about it.  It is one of the few, of not the only, moments where I truly sense God’s wholeness and my complete nothingness.

The online satirical news site, “The Onion”, cracks me up.  Here are some of my favorite religious-oriented headlines….

“Christ Announces Hiring Of Associate Christ”

JERUSALEM—Overwhelmed by a constant deluge of prayers and appeals for salvation, Jesus Christ announced Monday the hiring of Tacoma, WA, customer-service supervisor Dean Smoler as Associate Christ. Jesus Christ, swamped by requests for guidance and divine forgiveness, hired 38-year-old Dean Smoler as the first-ever Assistant Savior. “I’ve been in need of an Assistant Savior for a long time now, and I’m thrilled to finally have one,” Christ told reporters at a press conference aired on the Trinity Broadcasting Network. “Dean is an experienced guy who will really help ease my workload.” With the hiring, effective June 1, Christians seeking spiritual aid or guidance will be able to pray to either Jesus or Dean. From now on, Jesus advised Christians to address prayers to, “Our Lord or His Associate,” “Jesus or Dean,” or “Jesus or anyone acting in His employ.” link

“Christ Returns For Some Of His Old Things”

JERUSALEM—After being away for nearly two millennia, Jesus Christ triumphantly returned Monday to pick up some of His old belongings. “I realize this isn’t exactly how the world’s Christians were imagining it, but I left a really comfortable pair of sandals in Galilee, and I wanted them back,” said Christ, who died for our sins. “Also, I’m pretty sure I lent [Apostle] Simon Peter my best goblet at the Last Supper.” This marks Christ’s first return since 76 A.D., when he thought he’d forgotten to turn off his coffee pot. link

“Heaven Less Opulent Than Vatican, Reports Disappointed Pope”

HEAVEN—The soul of Pope John Paul, which entered heaven last week following a long illness, expressed confusion and disappointment Saturday, upon learning that the Celestial Kingdom of God to which the departed faithful ascend in the afterlife is significantly less luxurious than the Vatican’s Papal Palace, in which the pope spent the past 26 years of his earthly life. St. Peter’s Basilica, with its 90-foot bronze baldachin designed by Bernini, is one of the many Vatican splendors no longer enjoyed by Pope John Paul II. “Where are all the marble statues, sterling-silver chalices, and gem-encrusted scepters?” the visibly disappointed pope asked. “Where are the 60-foot-tall stained-glass windows and hand-painted cupolas? Where are the elaborately outfitted ranks of Swiss Guards? Why isn’t every single surface gilded? This is my eternal reward?” “Up here, everyone is equal,” John Paul II said. “No one has to go through an elaborate bowing ritual when they greet me. And do you know how many times my ring has been kissed since I arrived? None. Up here, I’m mingling with tax collectors, fishermen, and whores. It’s just going to take a little getting used to, is all.” link

“Christ Converts To Islam”

JERUSALEM—In a surprise announcement with far-reaching theological implications, Jesus Christ The Nazarene, founder of Christianity and spiritual leader of nearly two billion people, revealed Monday that He has converted to “the one true religion” of Islam. The controversial announcement has sent shockwaves through religious circles around the globe. As part of His conversion, Christ said He has taken a new name, Isa Ibn Maryam al-Salaam Christ Shabazz. Neither the Father nor the Holy Ghost could be reached for comment. link

“Judge Orders God To Break Up Into Smaller Deities”

WASHINGTON, DC—Calling the theological giant’s stranglehold on the religion industry “blatantly anti-competitive,” a U.S. district judge ruled Monday that God is in violation of anti-monopoly laws and ordered Him to be broken up into several less powerful deities. “The evidence introduced in this trial has convinced me that the deity known as God has willfully and actively thwarted competition from other deities and demigods, promoting His worship with such unfair scare tactics as threatening non-believers with eternal damnation,” wrote District Judge Charles Elliot Schofield in his decision. “In the process, He has carved out for Himself an illegal monotheopoly.” Attorneys for God did not deny such charges. They did, however, note that God offers followers “unbeatable incentives” in return for their loyalty, including eternal salvation, protection from harm, and “fruitfulness.” link

“Christ Getting In Shape For Second Coming”

HEAVEN—Emerging from a grueling 90 minutes of cardiovascular exercise and light lifting for tone, Son of God Jesus Christ said Monday that He is “definitely on track” to achieve peak fitness condition for the Second Coming. “If every eye is going to see Me, and all the tribes of earth are going to wail on account of  Me, I think I owe it to them and to Myself to be in the best shape of My life,” Christ said. “Right now I’m up to 35 minutes at seven [miles per hour] on the treadmill and benching about 165 [pounds].” “The thought of being unable to seize the seven-headed serpent and hurl it into the abyss really keeps Me motivated,” Christ said. And not only has frequent exercise made Christ feel more healthy and confident, it’s “cleared [His] head, which will really help [Him] deal with the massive amount of smiting and condemning.” link

“God Late For Local Wedding”

CARTHAGE, MO—An embarrassed God admitted Monday that He was late for the Saturday wedding of Patrick Moore and Dina Roble, arriving halfway through the ceremony but catching “most of the important stuff.” God admitted that His eyes were upon the couple for a little less than half of the ceremony—”which is a lot,” said God, considering the length of the Roman Catholic liturgy. Among the parts of the wedding God missed were the prelude, in which Roble’s sister Tammy sang “Come And Journey With Me”; the processional; and the opening prayer, in which God was personally thanked for attending the ceremony. link

“Scientology Losing Ground To New Fictionology”

LOS ANGELES—According to a report released Monday by the American Institute of Religions, the Church of Scientology, once one of the fastest-growing religious organizations in the U.S., is steadily losing members to the much newer religion Fictionology. “Unlike Scientology, which is based on empirically verifiable scientific tenets, Fictionology’s central principles are essentially fairy tales with no connection to reality,” the AIR report read. “In short, Fictionology offers its followers a mythical belief system free from the cumbersome scientific method to which Scientology is hidebound.” Church of Scientology public-relations spokesman Al Kurz said he was “shocked” when he learned that Fictionology is approaching the popularity of his religion. “Scientology is rooted in strict scientific principles, such as the measurement of engrams in the brain by the E-Meter,” Kurz said. “Scientology uses strictly scientific methodologies to undo the damage done 75 million years ago by the Galactic Confederation’s evil warlord Xenu—we offer our preclear followers procedures to erase overts in the reactive mind. Conversely, Fictionology is essentially just a bunch of make-believe nonsense.” link

“Christ ‘Categorically Denies’ Speaking To Lutheran-College Administrator”

ELKHART, IN—Jesus Christ insisted to reporters Monday that He has “absolutely never spoken” to Philip Burkett, rejecting the 48-year-old Lutheran-college administrator’s claim of having “a close, personal relationship” with the prominent savior. Elkhart Lutheran College administrator Philip Burkett, who claims to have spoken to Jesus Christ. “I categorically deny having had any prior contact whatsoever with Mr. Burkett,” said Christ at a press conference called to quell rumors of a Christ-Burkett dialogue. “At no point have I ever conversed with this man.” Christ was responding to remarks published in the July issue of the Elkhart Lutheran College alumni newsletter, in which Burkett said he decided to become the school’s Assistant Director of Student Affairs at the urging of the Messiah. “It was in 1994 that I answered the Lord’s call,” Burkett wrote. “Since then, I’ve been here in Elkhart, doing His work.” link

At 9:19am on a warm Saturday morning in June 2010, I said goodbye to MySpace.

“Omit needless words.” – William Strunk

… but why limit it to words? Why not all of life? Less is more.

I was an early adopter of MySpace.  I joined before there was a Facebook and held on longer than I should have.  Here’s a few reasons why I finally ended the relationship:

• The random SPAM messages from people I don’t know (or care to know) is annoying.
• The risque advertising was both inappropriate and unavoidable.  I was embarrassed to even log in at times and began avoiding the site.
• People (often even my friends0 would behave in ways and post pictures of themselves that they would not otherwise do in real life.  The ‘technological barrier’ of the ‘relationship’ often allowed there to be too much duplicity.
• The lack of features or ability to grow and change with it’s users.
• The pages are HIGHLY user customizable, which means they nearly always look terrible.  As a design professional, that annoys me!
• Tom really isn’t my friend.
• Most of my friends had long since jumped ship, those who still had an account hadn’t logged in for years.
• I hadn’t logged in for over a year.
• I’ve grown up

The last, and perhaps most important reason, MySpace gave me access to my friend’s lives without giving the time needed to maintain the relationships.

“It’s so hard to say goodbye to yesterday.” – Boyz II Men

Part of growing up is realizing that the ability to let go is more important (and often tougher) than trying to hang on to something you’ve long since lost.

To everything – turn, turn, turn
There is a season – turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under heaven

I can agree. And I am sure that I will have heck to pay for admitting it…

You’ll think I’m crazy—sometimes I think I’m crazy—but as I dream of my life over the next decade or two I really hope my life will mirror offscreen the qualities I saw in this fictional man onscreen.

• He and his wife are very much in love and prone to public displays of affection.  They model a loving, trusting relationship that sets an example.
• He and his family are guided by faith, but the common theme is acceptance, not exclusion or judgment.
• He helps various congregation members and townspeople with their problems.  He’s not afraid to get involved and really is a pillar of the community.  It’s hard to imagine the town surviving without him.
• He boldly and passionately modeled the example of the Good Samaritan
• He could save everyone he came in contact with, within three episodes.
• He was articulate, soft-spoken, and direct.
• He listened as much as, if not more than, he spoke.
• He had a large family who (while not always got along) always loved each other.
• His children didn’t always agree with him, but they respected him.  He and his wife raised them with a strict but loving hand.  That shows a long-term level of commitment to one’s children and above average parenting skills.
• He was always helping others, but he was always there for his kids.  He was a dad first and a minister second. He was involved in his kid’s lives.
• He did not raise the stereotypical pastor’s family, nor were they all uptight sticks in the mud.
• He was not the dumb one in the household. he was communicative and responsible.
• He said things like, “We can justify our actions, but it doesn’t make it right” and people actually listened.
• He wasn’t perfect.  That was part of the beauty of the show in a way.  But you could always count on him to do the right thing in a pinch.  As such he inspired people.
• He had a really good sense of humor.  Rarely sarcastic and never cutting… his wit was understated and well-timed.
• He took life at a decent (relatively slow) pace, taking life in a calm and relaxed spirit.

Being a pastor, Bill is no stranger to adversity, even from within the church sadly.  But I doubt he ever imagined a circumstance quite like this.  A stroke is very much like hitting the pause button on life… and simply waiting, and waiting.  It is a lesson in patience.  It is a lesson in perseverance.  But it’s also been a lesson in paternity.

Let me explain…

In Mark 2 we are told the story of a man who is a ‘lifer’, paralyzed for the entirety of his life.  No hope.  Yet a group of friends weren’t willing to accept that diagnosis with the likes of Jesus roaming the countryside.  So they packed up their friend and took him to the man who was said to have the power to heal.  What faith.  Sadly, on arrival they couldn’t get near the Christ due to the press of the crowd.  I imagine it much like a Walmart on Nascar weekend.

I would have given up.  But not them.  Rather than accept defeat they went to the roof, disassembled it, and lowered their friend into the middle of the crowd directly in front of Christ.  The nerve!

Jesus (somewhat predictably) immediately forgives the man’s sins.  He avoids the more obvious need for physical healing in order to take care of the more important–though less obvious–need for spiritual healing.  It is at this point in the story that an odd thing happens: The scribes (Teachers of the Law) began to question in their hearts.

What could they possibly be questioning?

Their theology (the Old Testament) did not allow for a Messiah that could forgive sins.  They believed only God could do so and that Christ’s belief in his personal ability to do as God could only do was (in their mind) a direct affront to Jehovah. In short, blasphemy.  The Messiah was not supposed to be God.  There was only to be ONE God, Yahweh.

THIS MOMENT was the beginning of the official opposition of Jesus, the opposition that ultimately led to his arrest and death.  It began right here, when God healed a broken man.  The religious leaders simply couldn’t handle it.  It stretched their capacity too far.  God, it would seem, was much bigger than the box they had created for him.  So rather than expand their understanding, they chose the easier route: hardened hearts.

It is interesting to note that in these days sickness and disease were often viewed as punishment from God for a person’s sin.  Perhaps they secretly (or even openly) thought that this man who was paralyzed rightly deserved the fate that he endured.  Maybe they whispered stories to one other of tawdry sins and excesses that resulted in his suffering.  It is not difficult to imagine, mostly, because we’ve all done similarly at one time or another.  And had the New Testament not directly spoken against that narrow mindset we might still think it okay.  And yet, I still find people doing it!

As noted, my Pastor has recently faced serious health concerns, but God has been steadily moving him down the path of healing and recovery.  And there have been moments, days, even weeks when I feel as though I am reliving the story of the paralytic in Mark 12.

I see those who stand around watching the amazing work of God and, in the words of Mark 12:8, question those things in their hearts.  Perhaps it is because some believe that, like the Scribes, all suffering is punishment from God for sin.  I’ve heard loud whispers from those who would put words in God’s mouth as to “why” the suffering has come.  In fact, often their not whispers at all!  There is a strange boldness religious types feel when speaking on behalf of the Creator.

I often see those around me assuming the roles in Mark 12:

• I see crowds of people, so hungry (and even bloated) on Christ that they miss those on the fringes of the crowd that need him most.  Are we missing those with real needs because we’re so concerned with getting fed ourselves?
• I see a few (very few) who are carrying the ones with real needs to the Savior.  These are the real heroes of the story, those who aren’t concerned with the ‘why’ or even ‘how’ of the situation.  They see it as their opportunity to make an impact and, in whatever state they are, carrying their brother.
• I see many, many scribes.  The teachers and leaders of the Law who should have recognized God’s amazing handiwork even in suffering, but didn’t.  This is the real disappointment in the story.  Those that should have been the heroes, but end up a footnote in history as those who eventually murder God himself on a cross.

I learned long ago that I could never fully understand that mystery and reasons for God.  Fortunately, my mostly reformed understanding of Scripture does not make me fear a God who uses providence to work his will in the world.  I understand that the picture is much broader than I will ever see or understand.

God doesn’t need my opinions, talents, or accomplishments.  He only needs my yieldedness.  I pray, daily, that I am one of the ones who carried the paralytic to Christ.  And at the times in my life when I AM the paralytic (and they WILL come), I hope you’ll swallow your pride and carry me instead.

“Don’t you see, you planned evil against me but God used those same plans for my good, as you see all around you right now—life for many people.” – Genesis 50:20

Like most great leaders, Joseph of the Old Testament labored in obscurity before he became qualified to lead others. Nearly twenty-three years passed from the pit to the palace before Joseph was reunited with his brothers and his vision was fulfilled.

But by then, he had come to learn that true progress occurs only when God orchestrates it. He understood that self-promotion can never replace divine promotion. His self-promotion with his brothers failed miserably. Only when he finally became submissive–as a slave–and chose to work faithfully for Potiphar, did it become evident that “the Lord was with him” (Genesis 39:3).

In prison, he served the jail’s keeper, and again God showed him favor and mercy. But when Joseph tried to take self-promotion back into his own hands–by recommending himself to Pharaoh’s chief butler–God again made him wait. Two years passed before Joseph got an audience with the monarch. By then, Joseph had learned his lesson. He was content to recognize that God was in charge… and that he was being grown as a leader for a much greater purpose than he could have imagined.

from: The 21 Most Powerful Minutes in a Leader’s Day