30
Growing Pains
Tim Savage1 But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent.
3And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility. Acts 6
My 15-year-old son, Luke, just recently grew taller than me! The whole family, grandparents, aunties and uncles all celebrated the fact that he’s so tall (compared to the rest of us), slim and handsome! We had a big Saturday morning breakfast to commemorate it, with all of his favorite breakfast foods. There were, however, several times recently that he complained of nagging pains in his leg and ankle. Was it from volleyball practice? How about playing around at school? Should we go to the doctor? My suspicion was that he was having growing pains, but I didn’t want to overlook something more serious. After a few days that pain was gone, but from time to time he still has aches here and there. Good for him! Now that he’s taller than me!
The church in Acts was vibrant, alive and growing and, no doubt, there was celebration because of that, but we see that there were also some problems. Growing stretches us, it makes us do things we haven’t done before, we feel awkward and out of our comfort zone, but growth is necessary – growth is life andlife is better than the alternative.
The disciples solved the problem by choosing a group of wise and spiritually mature men to help oversee and manage things. I need to do the same in my ministries as a function of growth. My “span of care” is limited, but I can add people around me and that increases the ministry span of care beyond me. It also creates responsibility for others to step in to and gives the young adults opportunity to fly. The leaders need to be there to direct and guide and bandage up young leaders when they stumble, but without that opportunity they will remain under-developed.
In addition to delegating responsibility, I need to go back to the first lesson – I personally have to grow and work through the challenges and pain of stretching and changing. I have to look for those things that used to work, but may not anymore, then have the courage to change them. Sounds easy, it’s not, but it’s necessary.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for your patience as I slowly learn these lessons. Help me also to not just change, but to change with Your heart for others, Your heart for relationships and Your heart for excellence. Teach me balance and teach me courage.
In Jesus name,
Amen
