My daughter-in-law (Jenna) reinforced an outstanding principle of building energy as a servant leader with me last week. She set appropriate boundaries and put me in control of the goal. My wife was out of town, and my son (Dan) and Jenna had to be away overnight for a wedding so they needed me to keep their 8-month old son (Mack).
I very much looked forward to spending a couple of days of concentrated time with my grandson. But there was a fair amount of trepidation from all parties over me being the one to take this duty. After all it had been 31 years since I had sole responsibility for an 8-month old child for any extended time.
Is taking care of a child like riding a bike? Probably not. So Jenna prepared extensive, detailed instructions for every aspect of what is necessary to take care of Mack. I received the instructions two days in advance of their leaving so that I could study and be prepared once it got to game time.
Having these instructions gave me a huge amount of energy, confidence, and peace knowing that I was now well equipped to deliver on what was expected of me.
If I had been totally competent in taking care of small children, I would have been hurt by being so micro-managed and told everything I needed to do. But that was not the case. Jenna read the situation correctly and built my energy by providing detailed direction.
Lessons
- Be flexible in your leadership – One style does not fit all situations!
- Make a proper assessment of every situation and lead accordingly
- The more competency a person possesses the wider their boundaries should be for completing the work
- Provide significant guidance when competency does not exist
- Proper assessment and the appropriate leadership will lead to high energy and high performance
Jesus’ as the Model
- Early in His ministry with his disciples, Jesus just asked them to watch him and observe. He was intentional about teaching them many things. (Sermon on the Mount) Matthew 5:1-12
- Later He got them involved to help, but he still did most of the work. (Feeding of the 5000) Matthew 14:13-21
- Then he provided instructions and sent them out to do the work on their own, and asked them to report back to him on how it went. Luke 10:1-24
- After he had fully trained them, He left, and expected them to do the work with the help of the Holy Spirit. Acts 10:1-10
- The rest is history. Jesus properly led 12, which turned into 120, then 3,000 by Pentecost, and well over 2.3 billion Christians today. Proper leadership is extremely powerful.
The Rest of My Story
My weekend with Mack could not have gone better. Due to me not having to think about what I was supposed to do, or how to do it, I was able to thoroughly enjoy my time with Mack and it will be a time that I never forget and always cherish!
Proper leadership makes all the difference in the world. Thanks Jenna!
Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12
Mark: what an adorable little grandson! Grandchildren are such a blessing. I am sure that Mack enjoyed being with Grandpa too. Thank you for sharing your story.
Thanks so much Joanne! I couldn’t agree more that grandchildren are a blessing. I am certainly hopeful he enjoyed the time as much as I did, because I sure did!! Blessings on your day!
I will be smiling all day after seeing that picture of Mack. What a sweetheart! And I used these scripture references for my quiet time this morning. I was telling
God that I haven’t chosen my next study yet, and was wondering what to read today. You have the perfect prescription right here.
Jane I really like looking at that picture too!That is really neat that you used these scripture references for your devotion today. Jesus was such a fabulous model for us on how to situationally lead. We can really learn a lot from studying how he led his disciples. Awesome!Blessings on the balance of your week.
Great story that fits the lesson perfectly! What a sweetie!
Thanks so much Jackie! Blessings on your day.
Mark!!!
I love this! Your grandson is SO adorable and I love how you took caring for him so seriously. It’s not easy for a new mother to leave her baby and knowing that you were prepared and equipped was probably very reassuring for her! Glad you were able to enjoy your precious time together.
Thanks Jessie! It was definitely precious time that I will always cherish. You are an amazing Mom yourself and your boys are extremely blessed by your love for them!! Blessings on the rest of your week!
Great story Mark! I love reading your weekly posts and this one sure hits home! The relation to Jesus’ example is fantastic as well. But now it leaves me with the question….does Jenna leave the same list for Dan when she’s away? 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Orlando, so great to hear from you! Thanks so much for your feedback and encouragement. It means a lot to know you find the blogs valuable. I have a feeling that Jenna probably lays things out pretty clearly for Dan as well. And if Dan is like me, I’m sure he appreciates it too. That being said, I know Dan is moving into “conscious competency” and he has things down pretty well with Mack! It is so fun to see great young parents like you and Danae having such a significant positive impact on their children’s lives! Keep up the great work!
Carl and I often talk about how grandkids are the “dessert of life”. Enjoy being a grandparent and keep up the great work! Thank you for your thoughts and teaching.
So great to hear from you Kent! That is an outstanding analogy of grandkids. Awesome! I appreciate your encouragement. Blessings to you and your family!