Use What You've Got

I was having coffee with a friend this morning who is in ministry leadership, and we were brainstorming how to best engage folks to get some critical tasks done that absolutely require delegation and more hands at work. It's really difficult to get people to commit these days. Everyone is so busy, and trust, I get it. 

But here's where my cookies get straight up frosted: when people don't step up because they don't think their gifts, their contributions are valuable enough to offer. 

Hear me, friends: don't downplay what you do well.

I firmly believe that God gifted each of us with different strengths. We can't all be strong at all the things, and even those who seem to rock pretty much everything are not going to be particularly strong at something (like, for example, saying no, or stepping back so others can step up and flourish).

If you're over the age of 20, hopefully you've reflected some on your skill set. (If nothing else, your resume isn't going to write itself, so you've at least flirted with this concept, one would hope.) Even if you assume that a strength of yours is unimportant, it doesn't change the fact that you do it well. Not to mention, given the culture we live in today, even something as seemingly rudementary as speaking well on the phone or the ability to  craft an email without a single emoji or hashtag is a very big deal. 

Are you great at taking notes? Many people aren't, but I bet you can imagine who is everyone's clutch resource when it comes time to recall what was a discussed at a given meeting or gathering. 

Do others seem to leave your presence invigorated and inspired? Then hey, guess what, you're a small part of whatever success follows in the wake of an environment you helped cultivate. 

Is balancing a checkbook and making spreadsheets your jam? Bam! You are the lynchpin in your family's or your company's ability to make a budget, stick to it, and plan financially for the future. HUGE! You wouldn't believe how many adults (we're talking senior executives) can't grasp this task. 

To the responsible, detail-oriented type: you're the crucial element that keeps a team of visionaries from steering their lofty ideas right off the edge of the horizon and into failure. You're not boring or a buzzkill. You're necessary. 

Don't forsake the incredible value of being "one of the little people." Nothing big comes without first being small.