Today I am having breakfast with my boss. One of my bosses, that is. If you are a Methodist preacher, you have lots of bosses. There is the Bishop. There is the District Superintendent. There is the church personnel committee chair. There is the church personnel committee members. And for that matter, in some ways, every member of the church is your boss.
I have lots of bosses, but I have good bosses. They are all awesome. They are some of the finest people that I know.
Occasionally I hear or read a story about someone who has a bad boss. I am sorry for them. The chance to be a boss is the chance to care about someone. It is the chance to comfort them in their distress and encourage them in their opportunities. A boss must help a person do their job well, and protect the person as much as possible from unfair practices. To be a boss is a great responsibility.
You may say, I am not a boss. Well, if you have a child or a pet, much of what I said above applies to you as well. Almost all of us have relationships where we have some degree of power. Always remember, God gives us this power to do good, to care about others, to love them, never to be the "big shot."
Whatever power you have, use it for doing good in every way that you can.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
1 comment:
Hi Jeff...don't post this as it's too long...but, as I read your blog today, I am reminded of something that I witnessed on a travel that I thought to share with you. It fits together with the point of today's blog...power vs. position.
Power vs. Position
Arriving in ZhenZhou around noon on a cold winter day, I was scheduled to meet a car to take me on to Luohe City for 2 or 3 days of meetings. I took a taxi from the airport to the address from which I would depart in the car. There was approximately 5 hours to wait for the car.
I found a small restaurant/bar and made myself comfortable…ordered a pot of hot tea and sat by the window with my journal, Bible, and another book. To be honest, I anticipated the imposed 5-hour quiet time.
As I sipped my tea and gazed out the window, I became intrigued with the traffic passing through the busy intersection in front.
· There were trucks loaded with rock, coal, paper and plastics, tires and junk.
· There were tractors, some with trailers,
· Cars, buses, motorcycles, bicycles…the array of vehicle-types was interesting, but the phenomenon was how they passed through the intersection.
· There were no lights or stop signs, and little thought given to which side of the road would be given to any particular direction of traffic.
The intersection was filled…sometimes clogged, with vehicles entering from all directions…some trying to turn left…some right…some determined to pass straight through…but all honking their horns.
A man came walking along the sidewalk. I remember smiling to myself and thinking…what is he going to do …there is no crossing any of the four streets that came together at the intersection. No need…there were pedestrian bridges to walk over the streets.
· He stood on the corner for some moments…and then, he did the unthinkable. He stepped off of the curb and inched his way, not across one of the streets, rather taking a diagonal path through the intersection.
· My smile was gone…replaced with creases across my forehead and my mouth dropped open.
o I thought whether or not it was my role to run out and save this man. Is he short of mental faculties…drunk…some other way impaired?
o Surely, I am about to witness a man’s life come to an end. He seemed alert…dodging oncoming threats. He proceeded slowly, putting his hands on tractors or truck as they passed.
Then…in the center of the intersection he found refuge…a safe place. There was a pedestal, a platform.
· He stepped up onto it. I was relieved the moment.
· But then, I witnessed something I suspect I will always remember.
o The man, standing on the pedestal…the weak, threatened, fragile man who seemed predestined for injury or death only a moment ago, reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of white gloves and put them on his hands.
o Turning to one direction, he stood tall with both hands raised until all traffic from that direction stood still at his command. Then, he repeated the same in the opposite direction, allowing traffic to flow through the crossing from the other two directions.
After a few minutes he repeated the exercise in the crossing direction and motioned for the previously halted traffic, indicating it was their turn to proceed through the intersection.
I was moved to watch this.
· It was awesome to watch a weak and fragile man who could have been run over by any one of the vehicles that gave no acknowledgement of his presence as he made his way toward the platform…now stand in authority over them.
How did this happen?
· This man was not a presence demanding respect.
· The answer was not in his power…but rather his position.
· The power to perform was only in the authority of his position.
How would my life change if I determined to live it in the authority of the One who has bought me into sonship under Him? Struggles would give way to a humble confidence in the One who goes before me. The traffic of life that would otherwise threaten me, now have no power over me.
"Come unto Me all you who are weary and heavy burdened...I'll give you rest." Position...
Your friend
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