Mentoring Lessons: post #825 — TG.ME

Who sets up the chairs? When did you last bring food or arrange the chairs to serve the team’s basic needs? Maybe you’ve said to yourself, “I'm not here to find snacks or move chairs. I’ve got more important things to do!” The person who introduced me to the Lord and began to disciple me was wise. He gave me many small non-essential tasks as a young follower of the Lord – like arranging the chairs. To bring chairs involved finding someone with an appropriate vehicle, driving some distance to pick them up, and then unloading them. It also meant thinking through the best way of arranging the chairs for a productive gathering. I hope you’ve done similar menial tasks. These tasks may seem small, but they also provide benefits like fitness training and relationship building. But perhaps the most important benefit is the opportunity to learn and practice being a servant leader. Carrying out tasks like these can help us better consider the needs of those we’re serving as well as the outcomes we’re hoping to achieve. Should the table be round or long to have the best dinner table conversations? Is it best to have seating for 6, 8 or 10?Should the room be set up with chairs in straight rows, curved rows, or incircles of 4? I've learned to think about the needs of others rather than just completing a task to get it done. Have you done tasks you believe are beneath you? Do you still serve others with small tasks that others are unaware of? How can you see it from a new perspective? Scripture to ponder – Mark 9:35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” (NIV) Key Lesson: Either you’re a servant leader or you’re not. Just because you were once willing to do the small menial tasks doesn't mean you’re still a servant leader. It’s a life work!