When they catch it...

Hey Element Church! I love it when people catch what you're throwing. And no, I'm not talking about baseball, football or cow chip tossing. I'm talking about vision, leadership, example. I saw this lived out in one of my children yesterday and that REALLY excites me.

There is nothing more frustrating as a pastor or a parent (they can feel amazingly similar depending on what church you are in, lol) than the people you are leading not catching what you're throwing. Now, I know many a parent and MANY a pastor who get upset when people don't catch what they throw, the problem is that those same parents and pastors wouldn't catch it themselves if someone threw it to them. The parent/or pastor challenges the children/or people to do something, or be something, or go somewhere, etc. that they themselves won't or wouldn't do or go. Amazing how folks can see through that pretty quick. However, when people DO catch it, it's so cool to watch. Back to my child.

We got some snow on Sunday night into Monday morning that left a small but decent coating over the ground. I was at work and Sabrina was working around the house as Jonah headed outside to play. A few minutes later Sabrina poked her head out of the front door to see what the guy was up to and he was at our neighbors shoveling their driveway. He got it cleaned off as best he could then went to the next one. He then did the walks. He came back in and Sabrina said "What were you doing out there?" Jonah answered "Shoveling the neighbors driveways." She asked "why?" His response (I LOVE THIS) "There was snow on it." HA! I LOVE it. A few months ago I took Jonah with me to clean off some neighbors walks and drives. When he asked me "why?" my response was pretty similar. "Their is snow on it so we want to help!"

I don't know if Jonah would have done that on his own without first me throwing it to him. In the church it's the same thing. The people won't get out and serve unless we serve first. They won't love unless we love first. They won't live unless we live first. They won't catch it when we throw it unless we catch it first! And by the way, Element is catching it!

When they catch it...

Jeff