9.12.2008
"I'm beat the crap outta this thing!" is exactly what I said when our brand new Eureka vacuum cleaner just decided to suck (or not suck, which sucked). Just as I'm about to throw this thing out the apartment door my wife steps in and says, "Try taking it apart and see if you can fix it."
I had poked, prodded, flipped switches, took off the back of the darn thing, but hadn't completely taken it apart to see what the problem was. Two hours later it was dismantled on my floor and the lone motor was sitting there... plugged in. So I did what any rational-figure-outer would do: I flipped the thing on.
It went crazy, my daughter started crying, my wife leaped for joy... but it worked again. Which made me think...
As leaders, are we sometimes ready to give up on programs, groups, structures and plans in God's church simply because we are just too frustrated to deal with them? Or maybe we want to, but fear the reaction of our people (crying like my daughter did). Possibly it's due to the fact that pastors can be lazy. I fall into this rut from time to time and I imagine you do too.
It's high time we step up to the challenge, and gut God's church. Take it a part, and evaluate the problems, find a solution (even if it means people will react poorly)- because God has commanded His church to be the best. We're His joy, and as a leader I need to learn to not be afraid and figure out the problems- and act on it.