A leader's confession of truth and conflict

Rob Streetman Aug. 16, 2019

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I met a young man the other day who runs a successful executive coaching business. This is not unusual; there are many men and women running such businesses. 

What intrigues me about this young man is the uniqueness of his approach. He operates fundamentally and foundational from the exercise of discernment and the application of truth—discerning what is false and applying the truth to close unhealthy gaps.

As best as I can tell, this young man does not dilute, wrap or compromise his operating model with secular and humanistic schemes. It is the purest kingdom approach to business coaching I have ever encountered. It is inspiring—and challenging.

God used this young man and our conversation to challenge me on two fronts. First, he reminded me that the fear of conflict is unhealthy and particularly so when it inhibits our sharing the truth with someone. We are encouraged to commit our way to the LORD, trusting Him to accomplish what He intends (Psalm 37:5). I must stop avoiding conflicts that sharing the truth might create.

I prefer to believe that my resistance in this area comes from genuine concern that I might injure someone with my version and presentation of the truth. This is a poor excuse for conflict avoidance. Am I willing to deprive someone of the truth and its freedom in order to maintain a sense of peace between us? That is not Christian love; it is cowardice.

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear [timidity, fearfulness, cowardice], but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).

I must allow the Holy Spirit to transform me into a surrendered instrument of the Father’s grace —dying to myself for my brother’s sake.

God also used this young man and our conversation to challenge me regarding gaps in my own life—to vigorously seek and destroy the deceptions I have allowed. This conviction contains two applications:

1. Leaders are responsible to God for helping others discover and overcome the deceptions of their carnal mind. We cannot effectively call or lead someone out of deception when we are willing to accommodate it in our own lives.
2. Transformation requires the stripping away of our conditional responses to God’s offers of grace.

This second application requires some explanation. One of my heart’s strongest desires is to experience the “greater than life” with others. Jesus promised such a life to all who would believe in Him (John 14:12). The result of that life is the glory of our Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16), through the good works we were created to walk in (Ephesians 2:10).

The “greater than life” is what we were created for!

The Holy Spirit will transform us for this life, through the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 3:18), but only as we submit to His work. With God, “conditional submission” is an oxymoron; our conditions clog up the flow of God’s grace.

To be transformed into agents of transformation, we must join the Holy Spirit in searching out our conditional responses to God’s grace, and take those thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). This prayer should help: 

Search me, oh God, and know my mind;

Try me and know my self-deceptions;

Expose the wicked thoughts that are hidden in my subconscious;

Lead me to freedom by the truth of your word.

God bless you with grace for the exercise of discernment and the application of truth—for yourself and those in your spheres of influence. Please pray the same for me.

Photo source: istock 

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Rob Streetman serves the body of Christ as President of two parachurch ministries: inLight Consulting (a workplace transformation ministry) and 2:2 Collective (a unity and church growth ministry). He is the author of two books: The Map Maker and A Storm is Coming. Rob’s heart desires is to encourage, edify and equip Christian leaders as disciple-makers and transformation agents—that they would become houses that stand in the storms of this life. He previously worked in various IT industry positions. Learn More »

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