Atmosphere Changers
August 10th is World Lion Day.
And we are proud to share this very “lion-y” Lion Living with you, in honor of that.
On a recent trip to Zambia, I had the great honor of meeting Chris and Charlotte McBride. The McBride’s are legendary figures in Zambia’s conservation world. For decades, they have run a renowned bush camp in Kasanka National Park…an area known for its untamed beauty and, most notably, its free-roaming lions.
The McBride’s are true bush experts and, beyond that, incredibly kind and generous people. Sharing tea with them was both a joy and a gift. Before our meeting, I had been reading one of their books, Living with Lions, which chronicles their decades of up-close and personal experiences with Africa’s apex predators. (It’s a fascinating read of their lives in the wild and it’s available at Amazon.com)
One passage in particular jumped out at me.
They write, “if lions are present, there is excitement. And when that excitement is present, everything else is more exciting—even birdwatching is of greater interest in lion country.” They go on to say, “A lion’s roar lifts the world to a more exciting and expectant plane…they are central. The others in the bush harmonize around them. Without them—what is there to harmonize with?”
Those lines resonated with me. Lions don’t just exist in an ecosystem. They shape it. They shift the atmosphere. Their very presence causes everything else to synchronize, align, and come alive. What a powerful image for how we, as Lion Leaders, are called to live!
We who bear the name of Christ carry something greater than ourselves. The way we walk, speak, care, and lead should shift the spiritual climate around us. When we show up, we bring confidence in who God is and who we are in Him; character that is consistent, trustworthy, and authentic; courage to stand firm when others shrink back; and compassion that sees people and lifts them up, too.
Mr. and Mrs. McBride knew the distinct roars of every lion near their camp by heart. They could tell who was near just by listening. Their writing about these lions feels like sentences that are written about dear friends and neighbors! In the same way, people should recognize something distinct about us—not by how loud we are, but by how deeply we care or how resolutely we live…how brightly we shine!
“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere.”
— 2 Corinthians 2:14
Where lion leaders go, expectation rises, hopeful fragrance follows, and the world leans in close, to see what’s next!
PS Please also pray for our trip to Zambia (departing today). We will be present for our Young Lion, Jack’s wedding; we will work to close on the property purchase for our future ROAR Campus, we’ll get administrative requirements for employment permit renewals organized, and we will spend glorious time with our team and the dear lions of all ages we serve! Gonna be great! Thanks for praying!