A Blip . . . Or a Ripple?

These tire tracks in the snow bear a similarity to the ripples
radiating outward, created by a pebble thrown into a pond.

I’ve never been in an air traffic control tower, but have seen videos of how radar is used for tracking incoming airplanes. A line sweeps around the screen and blips briefly illuminate to reveal the presence of aircraft in the vicinity. These blips quickly disappear, usually to reappear with the next sweep of the radar screen.

Contrast that with pebbles thrown into a pond. After striking the pond surface, the pebbles disappear below the surface, but in their wake a series of ripples radiate from point of impact. Before it disappears, the pebble’s presence is “memorialized” as the ripples spread outward.

The latter, I believe, can represent the impact of our lives. Viewed within the context of many thousands of years of human existence – not to mention the scope of eternity – a single life may seem nothing more than a pebble falling into a pond, never to be seen again. But the ripples it causes show the impact of that life, one that could continue indefinitely.

Recently I wrote about my longtime friend Dave Stoddard, a larger-than-life individual whose time on earth ended unexpectedly at the age of 60. He spent much of his life investing in the lives of others – mentoring, coaching, teaching, encouraging, challenging, and sometimes chastising, all aimed at helping them to develop personally and professionally to reach their fullest potential. While Dave’s life might have appeared to some as a “blip” on a chronological radar screen, all who knew him realize his life was like the ripple that continues to radiate wider and wider.

At the visitation time and memorial service, several hundred men and women gathered to celebrate Dave’s life, share stories about him, and convey how he had touched their own lives. Many of them expressed their desire to have a similar impact on other people.

When Dave founded Leaders Legacy in 2000, he incorporated an image of ripples into the logo. This seems all the more appropriate today. He and I often talked about a leader’s true impact not being what happens while he or she is on the scene, but what happens after they leave. Will the leader’s impact look like a blip…or an ever-widening ripple?

The best possible example of this is Jesus Christ, who was the guiding force in Dave’s life. During His lifetime, Jesus was a novelty to many, a curiosity people followed just to see what He would do next. When His earthly days were over, Jesus left behind only a small, rag-tag band of men that hardly looked like world-changers. Yet 2,000 years later, Christ followers have multiplied, millions upon millions around the world.

God promises we, too, can have a profound, eternal impact on the lives of people around us. In Isaiah 43:4 the Lord states, “Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give men in exchange for you, and people in exchange for your life.” When we willingly and sacrificially give from our lives for the benefit of others, God will reward our faithfulness.

In John 15, Jesus used the analogy of a grapevine to explain the mission He had for His followers. As He concluded, Jesus explained, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that remains” (John 15:16).

There are many endeavors and enterprises we can engage in and enjoy, but their impact will be brief. Even celebrated entertainers, athletes, business and civic leaders that receive much media attention are quickly forgotten when their day in the spotlight has ended. They may have achieved their 15 minutes of fame, but many had little long-lasting impact on the world around them.

They’re like shooting stars, sighted and then forgotten as they disappear in the evening sky. God’s desire for our lives, however, is to be more like the ripple in a pond, continuing to widen long after the pebble that started it has vanished from view.

If you were to assess your life to this point, would you say it’s more likely to produce a blip – or a long-lasting ripple? 

When the Phone Rings . . .

You’ve probably received the call. It’s usually in the dead of night, or in the morning’s wee hours, but when the phone rings you know it’s one of two things – either a drunk on the other end of the line, or someone calling to inform you of news you don’t want to hear.

Dave Stoddard (second from left), his family and friends.

I received one of those last week, except in the mid-afternoon when heart-wrenching phone calls aren’t expected. My longtime friend, Dave Stoddard, president and founder of the non-profit I work with, had passed away very unexpectedly during a business trip in Denver. One of his sons, Aaron, maintained his composure enough to share with me some sketchy details. Dave had died apparently of natural causes, even though he’d not expressed feeling ill.

What do you say at a time like that? I’m a wordsmith, but the best I could muster was, “Oh, man. I’m so sorry.” The loss for Dave’s wife, Anne, their two sons and daughter were paramount, but the void suddenly slicing into my own heart was beyond expression.

He was one of my best friends, virtually like a brother – in the best sense of the word. In fact, the Bible says, “There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24). Dave was like that. We had spent many hours together, at meetings and conferences, traveling, in his home, sometimes engaging in deep, serious discussions – other times being as crazy as two grown men can be.

We could go weeks without talking to each other, and the next time we got together or connected by phone seemed like there had been no lapse. We both were Army brats and grew up in New Jersey, but what linked us most closely was our passion for Christ and desire to help others fall in love with Him, too.

But when I received that phone call, I knew I’d never talk to my friend again on this side of eternity. Even though I knew Dave was with his Lord, the gaping hole left in this life, for family and friends, was unfathomable. It was one of those proverbial pinch-yourself moments, hoping to wake up and be relieved to discover it was only a dream. Problem is, I wasn’t sleeping.

Dave and I go back about 30 years, soon after I joined the staff of Christian Business Men’s Committee (CBMC). I had interviewed him for a couple of articles in the CBMC magazine while he was a rising star in the medical supplies industry, and later worked with him on the CBMC executive staff team. Dave could have become president of his company within a few years, but he and his wife wanted to give their lives to something more enduring than selling high-quality medical equipment.

Dave Stoddard, stellar athlete and competitor
that he always was, truly finished well.

Without question he was a devoted follower of Jesus Christ, but never fit Christian stereotypes. He hung out with ease among non-believers, never forgetting his own days as a skeptic of Christianity, exploring various avenues of spirituality, including Transcendental Meditation, before realizing Jesus wasn’t kidding when He declared, “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6). And Dave understood the difference between religion (with its rules, rituals, organization and dogma) and spirituality – the desire to know the God of the universe and discover how to have a growing relationship with Him.

He founded Leaders Legacy to leverage his professional expertise and assist business owners and top executives for companies large and small through mentoring, executive coaching, leadership development and team building. In the process, he hoped and prayed for opportunities to talk with leaders about matters beyond the workplace – matters of faith and the heart.

In 2001 he offered me an opportunity to join his team after learning I was sensing it was time to leave CBMC after 20 years. I’ll always remember his words: “Bob, I’ve always felt you were underappreciated and underutilized in your role. If you ever need a place, somewhere you can flourish and become all God wants you to be, we have a place for you.” Wow! Are those affirming, encouraging words or what?

Together we co-authored a book, The Heart of Mentoring: Ten Proven Principles for Developing People to Their Fullest Potential. It’s about Dave’s experiences in a unique approach to one-to-one, relational mentoring, based on simple, straight-forward principles. It’s sold more than 26,000 copies – not exactly a runaway bestseller, but far more successful than most books. And from various accounts, it’s touched many lives.

Over the past 12 years, he probably taught me as much as any single person in my life. And I’d like to think he learned a few things of value from me as well.

When you spend a lot of time with someone there’s so much you could say and write. But I think I can wrap this up with a few thoughts. Dave loved his Lord, first and foremost. He truly loved his wife and children. I never heard him conclude a phone call with any of them without saying, “Love you (and then saying their name).” And he loved people, regardless of status, age, ethnicity, gender or political persuasion. Because he could love them through the eyes of Jesus.

As my thoughts and memories (and some tears) flowed in the hours after I learned of Dave’s death, one passage impressed itself on my mind.

Opening his letter to followers of Jesus in the city of Philippi, the apostle Paul had assured them, “Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel” (Philippians 1:12). Verses later the apostle wrote, “I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.” Then he concluded, “for to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:20-21).

Even though the sting of loss is so real for his family – and his many friends – I’m certain to the last Dave held to the conviction, “for to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

The organization he founded is aptly called Leaders Legacy, because he indeed left a wonderful legacy. I suspect in the coming days, weeks, months and years, it’s a legacy that will flourish and continue bringing much glory to God.

We miss you, Dave. See you soon!

Investing in People

Investing in people can take many forms, but the important
thing is that we do make the effort to invest in others.

Two company executives were discussing the considerable cost of training and developing people within their organization. The chief financial officer asked, “What happens if we invest in people, and they leave?”

The CEO looked the CFO in the eyes, paused and then replied, “What happens if we don’t invest in people – and they stay?”

This principle holds true not only for the business world, but also for every facet of life and society. On a football or basketball team, for example, the head coach invests considerable time, energy and experience in developing his assistant coaches. One by one they leave, accepting head coaching jobs of their own. Some might even become coaches for competing teams. Was it worth the coach’s investment in them?

A pastor invests hours every week meeting with several individuals, helping them to learn what a relationship with Jesus Christ really means and then to grow in their faith. Some move into lay leadership positions at the church, but others move to other churches. Did the pastor squander time investing in those taking their learning and spiritual gifts to other congregations?

Parents spend much of their adult lives investing in their children – caring for them from diapers through driver’s licenses and college. Not to mention the financial investment. What if the children move to other parts of the country, become consumed by careers and family pressures, and rarely communicate? Was the parenting investment worthwhile?

Investing in others doesn't have to be
complicated. It can just be "hanging out."

Similar scenarios could be described for mentors, teachers, executive coaches and many other people involved in the growth and development of others.

On TV, we often see commercials about financial investments – how to increase your savings for the future, especially if retirement is approaching. I’ve concluded there is no greater investment than to share one’s time, energy and experience with other people, regardless of whether results feel like “success.” It’s far better to invest in people and lose some of them, than not to invest and be stuck with people operating far below their potential and capabilities.

The Bible can be described in many ways, including the narrative about people investing in others over a span of thousands of years, all in the name of the God they worshipped and served. Abraham invested in Isaac; Jacob invested in his sons; and Moses invested in Joshua. There were Naomi and Ruth, Elijah and Elisha, Samuel and David.

Jesus invested in a handful of ragtag disciples, none of whom would have been voted “most likely to succeed” in their high school yearbook. Yet when He departed from the earth, they were entrusted with carrying on His mission. One of them, Judas Iscariot, failed the course terribly. Barnabas invested in Paul and John Mark, and Paul invested in Timothy, Silas and others. The apostle had failures along the way, too, including a guy named Demas.

Just before He ascended to heaven, Jesus charged His followers, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19). And Paul instructed young Timothy, “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:2).

In Leaders Legacy, the non-profit I work for, we believe the true mark of a leader is not what occurs while he’s in charge, but what happens after he’s gone. Does the work continue and grow, or does it stagnate or die?

A dedicated leader that invests in and develops people in his or her company or organization will leave an enduring legacy, whether those individuals stay with the enterprise and assume greater responsibilities or leave for key leadership roles at other places.

By contrast, poor leaders are those whose enterprises crumble to pieces when they are removed from the picture, much like a house of cards. Their legacy, because of selfishness, pride, and an unwillingness to invest in others, perhaps for fear they might surpass them, is one of failure and futility.

We might not be CEOs or presidents of huge corporations, owners of our own businesses, or even pastors of prominent churches. But we each have a significant sphere of influence – our children, close friends, peers at work, people in organizations where we volunteer. Maybe you’ve benefited from someone investing in you.

The question is: Who are you investing in? And if you’re not investing in them, who is?