Motivational Mondays in the Marketplace at The Chapel
For Business & Community Leaders, Visionaries, and Kingdom Advancers
A weekly online column for Jackson Advocate
By Dr. Kathy Amos
When the Circle Is Warped, Momentum Slows
In a recent Bible study at the chapel, the Lord revealed a powerful truth through a simple image: the circle.
A circle has no opening—no beginning and no end. Like a wedding band, it symbolizes covenant, continuity, and commitment. When I think about family, the circle comes to mind. When I think about community, I see the circle. When I think about teams, leadership, and collaboration, the circle appears again.
The circle represents unity and alignment.
But here’s the truth: many leaders must confront:
A circle can be broken.
A circle can be warped.
And when it is, progress is affected.
The Circles That Shape Our Calling
In business and community leadership, the circle isn’t simply about who is nearby that we have access to; it’s about who is assigned to us.
I’m not talking about the community where you live, but the community that helps you build, carry, and birth what God has placed inside of you.
Every leader needs:
- A family circle that grounds you
- An inner circle that keeps you accountable
- A vision circle that refuses to abandon the assignment
These are the people who stay when pressure rises.
Who tells the truth when silence would be easier.
Who protects the vision, not one that competes with it.
Healthy circles don’t just encourage—they align.
A Bent Rim and a Leadership Revelation
A friend once shared that the rim on the wheel of her car was bent.
It was a luxury vehicle.
The rim was expensive.
But that single bend changed everything.
She was advised not to drive over a certain speed and to limit her travel. The car still ran—but its momentum was restricted.
That moment revealed something very profound.
A bent rim doesn’t stop a car from operating.
It simply limits how far and how fast it can go—without further damage.
This is exactly what happens when the circles we lead in become warped.
When Circles Lose Alignment
In leadership, warped circles show up as:
- Broken trust
- Miscommunication
- Lack of accountability
- Dishonor
- Vision drift
The vision doesn’t disappear—but movement becomes harder.
Progress slows.
Decisions feel heavier.
Momentum is restricted.
Not because the call is wrong—but because the structure supporting it is misaligned.
A Word for Marketplace Leaders
God often works through circles:
- Shared responsibility
- Mutual accountability
- Collective strength
When the circle is healthy, momentum flows naturally.
When the circle is warped, leaders are forced to slow down—not as punishment, but as protection.
Sometimes the slowdown isn’t resistance.
It’s mercy—giving us time to repair what’s been damaged before greater speed is required.
Reflection for Visionaries and Change Agents
Ask yourself:
- Who is truly in my inner circle?
- Are the people around me aligned with the vision—or merely attached to the outcome?
- Have I ignored misalignment because addressing it felt too costly?
Because restoration often costs, but misalignment costs more.
Closing Insight
God values alignment over acceleration.
Covenant over convenience.
Wholeness over haste.
A strong circle doesn’t just surround the vision; it sustains the momentum needed to fulfill it.
When the circle is whole, the journey flows.
When it’s warped, wisdom says: slow down, repair, and realign.
That is leadership in the Marketplace—and that is the work of The Chapel.
