Where there is no vision . . . stuff runs poorly

The other day, I was trying to get out some information to our UBA churches about where they could drop off relief items to be delivered to West, Texas.  I called one of our churches to confirm that they were indeed a drop off location as listed on an information sheet I had received. The contact person listed on the sheet was out that day, so the receptionist transferred me to someone else who could help me. I verified the information, running quickly down the list that I had been given of items needed.  I stopped at "furniture and appliances."

Gathering, storing and transporting buckets, gloves, and cleaning supplies is one thing.  Furniture and appliances are quite another.  They're big; they're heavy; and they're a lot of trouble to store and transport.  So, I asked if the church wanted me to edit the list or to go ahead and include the 'furniture and appliances.'

Within the beat of a heart, her response was, "Yes, leave them on.  We'll figure something out.  I know that Pastor Larry wouldn't want anyone not to have what they need."  In thanked her, and in minutes the email to the churches was on its way.

This response came from someone in a church with shared vision and values.  This wasn't the pastor.  This wasn't even the contact person in charge listed on the information sheet.  This was someone who happened to field the call on a Friday morning.

She could have said, as our mail carrier did one day, "That's not my job."  She could, understandably, have said, "I'll have to check with the person in charge.  Someone will call you back." In the worst case scenario, I could have waited days or even weeks while the question bounced from one committee to another attempting to determine the feasibility and liability of "furniture and appliances."

None of that happened because this church has a shared commitment for disaster relief.  They send teams to training in specialty areas so that they are prepared before disaster strikes.  They load up and roll out when disaster happens.  The pastor is right in the middle of it.  So, when the question arose, "Are you taking furniture and appliances?"   The answer was 'Yes."  She just knew.  They'd figure it out.

A shared vision is a powerful tool for effective, efficient progress toward kingdom results.  Where there is no vision . . . stuff runs poorly.  Does your church know the right answer to the questions that come?

Just Stop Talking

I learned something from Sandra Day O'Connor the other day.  I was listening to her as she gave an interview on NPR.  Her answers were always thoughtful, brief, and to the point.  However, there were a few questions that she chose not to answer.  I was impressed with her ability to just stop talking and let the silence exert its power.

Once, the interviewer inquired about her opinion on matters relating to a case currently before the Supreme Court.  Other questions probed into what personal matters or situations might have influenced her decisions as a Supreme Court Justice.  In response, O'Connor would simply say, "I'm not going to comment on that." or "No, I don't believe that influenced my decision."   Then she would just stop talking.

That was the beauty of it.  She seemed to feel no need to assuage the interviewer's discomfort.  She didn't try to fill the silence.  She didn't apologize.  She didn't offer justifications for her refusal to elaborate more.  She didn't explain.  She just stopped talking.

That's an art which many of us have not perfected.  When faced with a question that we can not or should not answer, we too often try to fill the silence and make the other person more comfortable.  I was reminded by Sandra Day O'Conner that it is OK to just stop talking and let the silence reign.

'Tis the Season

The Powerball Lottery has come and gone.  Two lucky people have purchased the winning tickets and will become multi-millionaires.  The American public engaged in a buying frenzy.  At one point Wednesday evening, the news reported that 130,000 tickets per minute were being sold.  Per minute.

At $2 a ticket purchased at the rate of 130,000 per minute, $374,400,000 was spent in one day.

To put this in perspective, a single day's take for the Powerball Lottery would fund for over 400 years  the entire annual budget of the UBA Mission Centers of Houston, which serves the poor in three neighborhoods in the inner city of Houston.  It would fund for 26 years the annual program/ministry expenses for  Living Water International, which provides clean water wells in poverty stricken areas throughout the world.  Over 2 million poverty stricken children could be fed every day for a year with the money spent in one day on the Powerball Lottery.

My point here is not to criticize the purchase of lottery tickets.  My point is to consider the capacity that each one of us has to effect change and the responsibility that we have to steward the resources that God has provided.  In one single day, people who are are mostly regular people with limited means, some actually poor and possibly jobless, collectively raised enough money to eliminate hunger for over 2 million children for a year. Unfortunately, all that money went to Powerball Lottery.

'Tis the Season, truly.  It is the season to consider how we as followers of Christ can celebrate his birth, life, death, and resurrection by spending less and giving more.

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