Leadership

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I went for a jog with my daughter today. It was a big milestone for me.

For years, she has been forging her way as a child, trying to find where her skills lie and developing her identity. And now she wants to follow in my footsteps (literally) and go jogging in the morning. … But that’s my moment, I wailed, my quiet time before the rush of the day intrudes into my thoughts. Once upon a time my sense of self-worth lay in my achievements of being the cross-country champion, athletics champion and all-round exercise junkie. Now I am practically middle-aged (and flabby), it is hard to accept that the next generation is coming up to take the limelight.

I decided I would let her come along because I figured she would be too busy trying to breathe, to talk and annoy me.

So off we went, me jogging ahead and setting the pace. Not surprisingly, she bounded along with youthful enthusiasm and energy. The sound of her footsteps crunching on the gravel behind me was disconcerting. It’s hard to be a leader, particularly when those following want to take over! I didn’t want to nag and keep saying things like “watch your step”, “keep up with me”, and “pace yourself”. I’d rather lead by example and see what happens.

As it was, Amarina was fairly good. Only when we reached the half-way point and had to turn around and jog back up a long incline did she start to falter. I went to the top of the hill and waited for her. I saw her form come over the crest and so I jogged back to meet her. She was walking and I asked her how she was.

“My ankle’s sore,” she replied.

“Well, don’t think about it. Keep jogging,” I urged. “Pray about it,” I added. Maybe that was more helpful.

We continued on and I thought about the idea of being a leader, knowing that who you lead will one day be trained to take over your role. In church and community situations often the leaders don’t want to let go, but enjoy hanging on to their position. It is scary to think that you might be made redundant. It is scary to think that you are getting older, and perhaps the young whippersnapper at your heels might just do the job more enthusiastically and efficiently as yourself.

But on the other hand, it is exciting. It is exciting to see others want to do what you are doing. It’s encouraging to be able to share your interests with others and to foster the skills and experience for others to be able to be involved. At this point in my church commitments, I am looking forward to being able to encourage others to do my role. I want others to see we are all in this together. No one person is indispensable and so we should learn to work more as a team and value the contributions of newer, less experienced members.

As parents, our ultimate goal is to raise independent children, those who can leave home with the confidence and skills to make it in the big, wide world. In our church body we are also there to ‘raise’ the spiritual children so they can become mature Christians, fully capable of contributing to the community at large. The future of our church depends on us to mentor and teach others. And the exciting thing - just imagine if all of the church was energised and equipped to lead a new generation of Christians!

There’s someone breathing down my neck. Bring it on!

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