Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Leadership (03/14/05)
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TITLE: The Little White Towel | Previous Challenge Entry
By Amy Miller
03/19/05 -
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“Towels not Titles” whispered through Katie’s thoughts as she drove home from the Tuesday night board meeting. An exhaustive one hour meeting was extended into a lengthy discussion deciding on the future murals in the Youth rooms and a date for the annual spring cleaning. Katie hated meetings to begin with, and to spend extra time frivoling over dates, designs, and procedures was more than she anticipated when she accepted the deacon position. Although she was proud of her title and enjoyed seeing it displayed each week in the church bulletin, she couldn’t help but recall the “Towels not Titles” sermon she had heard several years back.
She remembered the puzzled looks when each individual received a towel as they entered the sanctuary. Some tried to envision the pastor’s intent for the little white towel; maybe it was a symbol to surrender, maybe to dry your hands, maybe a nice gift, maybe to dust the pews. Waving little white towels throughout the service revealed the message loud and clear when the Pastor read:
“so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.”
Serving towels! Ah ha, it clicked. As the pastor preached further, the truth opened wounds convicting Katie to examine the motives behind her heart. This sermon was one she would never forget. But here she was now, a known and respected leader involved in every area of the church questioning the basic essentials of leadership. Leaders especially, should be carrying several towels, not titles and to often enough the little white towel you started with becomes a little less white over the years.
Katie hit the snooze button and rolled over dreading waking up at 7:00 a.m. on a Saturday morning to go clean the church. There were plenty of other people who could clean, besides Saturdays were her day off. Coaxing herself out of bed she strolled to the bathroom to get ready. She knew, being a deacon, it wouldn’t look good to skip out on Spring Clean up Day.
Katie arrived shortly after 8:00 and grudgingly smiled at those sugaring up on the widespread of assorted donuts.
“Good morning Katie, isn’t this great?”
Katie gave Rebecca a puzzled look as she reached for a jelly filled donut. Rebecca was a new believer and recently joined the church this past December. For a stay at home mom with four kids, she had surprisingly more energy than most.
“I’ve been looking forward to this all week. If it’s one thing I do well, it’s clean,” Rebecca said, dusting the powdered sugar off her hands.
“That’s great, we’re glad you could help.”
Lists of chores, along with little white towels were handed out to all the volunteers. Katie’s list would find her down the hall and to the right leading into the gray tiled room that housed four stalls, each containing their own porcelain stool. She always wanted to do something big and great for God but it all starts with a little white towel.
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