Labor

Proverbs 13:11

“Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished, but he who gathers by labor will increase.”

I have often thought about leadership and what it means to be a leader. In my mind one of the definitions of leadership is "to gather". To gather people for a specific cause or vision and then take them to that place. A football coach gathers a team in order to win the trophy…he first casts the vision for what the end goal is – to lean the game, work as a team, refine the plays and ultimately to win the trophy or title. So he gathers in order to win.

What would happen if I went out to gather a football team? For those of you who know me also know that it would end in disaster – I know little to nothing about the game of football. Even with no knowledge of the game I am a persuasive person and would have a good chance at gathering the team..but it would be gathering by dishonesty. I can’t teach what I do not know. The truth is I could gather them, but I can’t teach them the game much less lead them to victory. If I want to be a successful football coach it would take dedication on my part to learn the game, master the plays and excel on a personal level so I could lead a team to victory. It would take a whole bunch of work and labor for me to lead a football team to victory.

As I sat in the airport last Saturday morning I was pondering this verse in regards to my leadership in the youth ministry. As a leader I am gathering students to the cause of Christ and teaching them how to be successful in all aspects of their life; how to work as a team, how to respond inside of different situations they face on a daily bases and ultimately how to live a life that hits the mark daily and holistically. Much like a football coach teaches his team and leads them to victory, I pastor young people.

Am I the pastor that gathers by dishonesty? Numbers aren’t the goal – disciples are the goal. And just as I cannot lead a football team to victory because I have never invested the labor (hard work) into learning the game – I cannot gather, lead and teach young people how to be a disciple unless I am willing to put in the labor (hard work) to first be a disciple myself.

People are undisputedly the greatest wealth of all nations, states, cities, families and churches. We often have things a bit backwards – we pursue gold and material possessions at the cost of the relationships in our life. Parents miss years with their children as they pursue a career and turn a blind eye to the greatest wealth they possess…their children. What is the wealth we are building? What wealth am I building in my family? What wealth am I building in ministry? Am I putting in the labor necessary to cause actual increase?