A Leader and Repetition: Philippians 3:1 “Finally my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is a safeguard for you.”  Do you have to tell your children the same thing over and over or at least more than once before they truly get it?  Maybe the same has been and is still true for you today.  Why?  It is because some things are not heard, understood, learned or obeyed the first time around.  It is clear that repetition produces competence.  At one time in my career, I taught neurosurgery to veterinary medical students.  How did I become competent to teach them?  One week, I remember doing fourteen spinal surgeries. It was through repetition and doing the procedures over and over. No procedures were ever exactly alike and each previous one prepared me for the next one.  I have a granddaughter who competes in gymnastics and was a 6A all-state gymnast last year.  I watched her practice the same routine over and over to give her confidence and competence through repetition.  The same is true for all sports and every area of life.  It takes repetition over and over to do it right but the rewards are worth it.
 
How does this apply to us?  Paul gives us the answer in Philippians 3:1 as it relates to our Christian life and leadership.  The bottom line for us as a Christian is that reading and memorizing Scripture over and over (repetition) produces competence and is a safeguard for us.  How many times have you read a verse for the umpteenth time and it provided you a new answer or confirmed an existing one?   Or, maybe you were about to do something that you shouldn’t do and God’s Word in your heart stopped you (safeguard).  Do you memorize Scripture through repetition so that you become more competent to live and lead through the next challenge?  Every answer to the issues we face is found in God’s Word.  If we don’t know God’s Word, how will we be competent to let Him handle everything we face in life?  There are a lot of questions in this Challenge, but only one real answer.  That answer is to repeatedly go back to read God’s Word, again and again, to allow the Holy Spirit to lead you as you lead others.