Week 10- Specks and Planks

MONDAY — Read the passage with your team.

     37 "Do not judge, and you will not be judged.  Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.  Forgive, and you will be forgiven.  38 Give, and it will be given to you.  A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.  For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

     39 He also told them this parable: "Can a blind man lead a blind man?  Will they not both fall into a pit?  40 A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.

     41 "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?  42 How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye?  You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

Luke 6:37-42

What does this passage have to say about leadership?

Why is that important?

TUESDAY — Discuss the passage with your team.

1) What does this passage say can prevent you from having the right perspective from which to lead (v. 42)?  What “planks” (bad habits, negative attitudes, etc) need to be removed from your own life and mind, in order to clear your perspective regarding others?

2) What is the impact of a leader that does not first remove any “planks” from his own eyes (v. 39)?

WEDNESDAY — Discuss the passage with your team.

3) Are you, as an athlete, hindered by bad habits, incorrect goals or motivations, negative influences, or fractured relationships?  How are these hindering your ability to help your team?  What do you have to do before you will be able to lead?

4) If your teammates are struggling and need help, but you have not removed these negative influences from your life, will you be able to help your teammates?  Is that important enough to you that you’ll ask for the forgiveness of your teammates and coaches — and seek change?

THURSDAY — Discuss the passage with your team.

5) What habits of treating others (both positive and negative) are mentioned in verse 37 and 38?  Why is a person who gives and forgives more able to lead than a person who judges and condemns?  What can you give to your coaches and teammates?  What can you forgive, in order to help your team be more successful?

6) Relationships are a critical part of leadership; you can’t lead people that you don’t care about, or who don’t trust you.  To learn the “people skills” of an effective leader, consider God’s example.  How does He give to us?  How does He forgive us?  How does He regard our sins and shortcomings?  Our own relationships should model God’s way of relating to us; we should lead as He does.  Which of your relational habits do you need to address, in order to be able to be an effective leader for your team?

FRIDAY — Discuss sport applications of leadership, and pray together.

· Ask your athletes to briefly reflect on what they’ve learned about leadership this week, and to repeat some of those things.  (Remind them of some of the Biblical truths about leadership you’ve discussed, if necessary.)

· Ask your team, “Based on what we learned about leadership this week...What does a leader athlete do?”  Do not settle for vague answers; challenge your athletes to go beyond general qualities of leadership, and to determine what those qualities look like in action.

· Add the results to your team’s list of descriptions of the “leader athlete”, and be sure the list is displayed somewhere that is constantly visible, as a reminder to the team.

· Pray together as a team.  Encourage your athletes to pray for your team’s growth in regard to the discipline of leadership — especially in relation to some of the issues and challenges that you discussed together this week.  Challenge them to also ask for forgiveness, when applicable.  Give time for athletes to request prayer (regarding leadership or anything else), and pray together.