Does fear of loss motivate or paralyze you? (101-1)

An old axiom in sales is that “The fear of loss is greater than the anticipation of gain.” This is why there are so many ads that prominently display “Limited time offer” or that establish the countdown to sales i.e. only two days left at this price. We take action to buy because we are driven more that the deal may run out and we will miss it than our need for the product.

The same axiom, “The fear of loss is greater than the anticipation for gain” is true when viewing the motivation to take action by some leaders. Many leaders play it safe when risk is required to move their team to the next level. They know in their heart what is the correct thing to do but they just can’t take a chance that they might fail or not have a 100% victory so they do nothing but fortify their current position. It takes courage for a leader to overcome the fear of loss. Today, we look at a leader that “Went for it!” Read 1 Kings 18:1-40.

Elijah had stepped out in faith and courage to give King Ahab God’s ultimatum to change from his ungodly leadership of the northern kingdom and to stop worshiping false gods. To demonstrate His seriousness in this matter God had brought a drought on Israel which paralyzed the economy. God instructed Elijah to stay out of site of the king until Ahab was fully convinced to give God his full attention. Three years had passed and the time was now right for Elijah to again address the king with God’s message. Elijah knew the rewards of being obedient to God but he also had to face the fear of loss should he enter the presence of an angry king with another pointed directive from God requiring change.

This is a great story; I hope you read it. So what elements in Elijah’s leadership gave him the courage to ignore the fear of loss that so often paralyzes a leader’s actions?

• Elijah saw that the worship of Baal, Ahab’s false god of choice, harmed the people. Some individuals, including the king, had even burned one of their own children as an offering on the altar of Baal. Elijah agreed with God in his heart that Baal had to be confronted and proven to be a false god at any cost. This agreement allowed Elijah’s resolve to outweigh his reservations.
• Elijah personally wanted to honor God more than anything else. His commitment to his core value of honoring God and bringing Him glory was greater even than his fear of loss. Elijah’s desires to please God outweighed everything else in his life.
• Elijah loved the people. The people of Israel were God’s nation and had a common bond of ethnicity. These people were Elijah’s “tribe.” Elijah’s compassion for this people outweighed his fears and complaints.

Is there a situation in your leadership that needs action but the fear of loss has kept you paralyzed so even the anticipation of a better situation won’t allow you to take action? Like Elijah, effective leaders find specific “motivators” that allow them to overcome their fear and take the right actions to help their team.