Categories
Culture

Do What You Say You Will Do

We live in a world that overpromises and underdelivers. This cancerous downward trend is reinforced daily by advertisers, politicians, and vocalist auditions on the hit TV show American Idol. This constant separation between words and deeds produces the inevitable fruit of distrust and cynicism. Rather than expecting people to be truthful and honoring their word, we have been conditioned to shrug our shoulders and sigh, “Whatever.”

Living a life of integrity is not that difficult, at least conceptually. People trust others who live by their words, who practice what they preach. When I repeatedly do what I say I will do over a long period of time, my words and deeds align. They integrate. People then naturally trust me.

Jesus, the most fully integrated servant leader on record, put it this way: “If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.” (John 13:17)

Let’s be counter-cultural. Let’s measure twice and cut once. Let’s underpromise and overdeliver. Let’s show the world what it means to “Do what we say we will do,” because our accountability is not to a popularity poll, but to the Living God, the Audience of One.

Lesson to aspiring leaders: Do What You Say You Will Do.

By Ken

Dr. Ken Cochrum (DMin, Bethel University) is Vice President of Global Digital Strategies at Cru (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ) in Orlando, Florida. An avid cyclist and aspiring guitarist, he also holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from The University of Texas and a Masters of Arts in Biblical Studies from Dallas Theological Seminary. He recently co-founded Indigitous.org, a movement passionate about connecting people to Jesus using digital strategies. He previously served as vice president of Cru’s student-led movements worldwide. He and his wife Ann spent 13 years in East Asia where they raised their two children. Ken blogs regularly at www.onleadingwell.com.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.