One of the great (and sometimes unappreciated) gifts of baptism is that we are not alone. We are baptized into the church, the body of Christ, whose many members have their own contributions to make in loving and serving God and neighbor. In our varied callings, we serve and are served by others. Part of what it means to be a member of the body is to offer a sense of being valued to others. If we cherish our callings, don’t we want others to learn, explore and share their callings as well? A resentful “yes” wears out everyone. A gracious “no” can be a gift to everyone.
Exodus 18:13-18 tells us a lot about Moses’ leadership style. Moses seems to be working 24/7 and can’t see the consequences. His father-in-law is blunt. “What you are doing is not good. You will surely wear yourself out, both you and these people with you. For the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.” Sometimes we need someone else to point out the obvious.
This message is excerpted from “Consider your calling, beyond above and beyond” by Karen C. Bockelman in the April 2016 Gather magazine.
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