I received a testimony email this morning about an Ugandan pastor who was resilient. He wasn't a formal pastor, but when 100 Christians were imprisoned in a hostile Muslim uprising he was the eldest and most determined to praise God in the circumstance. He refused to deny his Savior and instead rallied the other Christians to praise God in their gruesome confines. After years of this he was considered a pastor and as people were released hundreds and thousands began to be reached with the Gospel. Resilient light that pierces the darkness.

Peterson's The Message paraphrases 2 Corinthians 3:18 like this: And when God is personally present, a living Spirit, that old, constricting legislation is recognized as obsolete. We're free of it! All of us! Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him.

Chamber's Utmost entry for yesterday reminds us followers of the Way to look at the face of God for ourselves and let that glory radiate un-hindered, untempered, un-restrained to everyone around us. Whether we are a solo radiating face or whether we are in a host of witnesses who echo and share our glorious radiance.

Leadership - whether 1st chair, 2nd chair or from the caboose always brings wrestling with herd mentality hazards. The tempo and mindset of those around can become a force we permit to distract our hearts and minds from the glory of God, and thus our own leadership (i.e. influence, stewardship of the gospel) is passively retarded.

We do not "feed" off of the crowds around us - we feed off of the glorious riches of the Father through the Son and His Spirit Who indwells those who call Him "Abba," who live dependent upon Him. May we be discontent with anything less. Relentless. Resilient. Radiant.