I Pushed a Guy off a Cliff!

When I was in middle school, my family took a week­-long trip out west. I remember being so surprised when I actually saw the Grand Canyon with my own eyes. I’d seen it in pictures and movies, but it’s a completely different thing to see it in real life. There’s this little spot there where all the tourists take pictures of themselves looking like they’re falling off the edge. We got into position, made “I’m about to fall into the Grand Canyon” faces and pretended to hold on for dear life. Good times.
Anyways, I pushed a guy off a cliff once! Now, you may be asking yourself, “Why isn’t this dude in jail?” Great question! I would respond by saying, “Slow down, that was a metaphor.”

Have you ever found yourself being way too over­ zealous for what you’re doing? I know I have. I get so excited about what I feel God calling me to that I will run full steam ahead without thinking about the people that I’m bulldozing along the way. When I get excited about something, it’s hard to slow me down. For example, when my favorite soccer team (Arsenal FC) scores a goal, my wife immediately braces herself on the couch because she knows that I’m going to start running laps around the living room and might joyfully (and forcefully) complete my celebration by diving back onto the couch.
She braces herself because one time I landed on her.

I’ve done this in my ministry as well. I’m passionate about growing the talents, abilities, and leadership of my team members. Sometimes too passionate. Time and time again, I have pushed people under my influence way too hard.

Maybe it’s because I’m desperate to grow the team.

Maybe it’s pressure from my pastors to duplicate myself.

Maybe it’s selfishness because I want to gain glory from doing my job well.

Either way, it’s painful to realize that you’ve pushed someone too far. At first sight of a guy who could play guitar and carry a tune, I would throw him into the band and start putting immense weight on his shoulders. I’d take a guy who faithfully served in one capacity for years and, out of nowhere, I’d force him to step up and expect that he’d become a great leader overnight. If he didn’t meet my expectations, I would think that HE was the problem because HE didn’t want to lead. People have quit our team because they felt like they’d been pushed off a cliff.

Growth is great. Maturity is important. Discipleship is crucial.

But we can’t put our goals or ambitions above the spiritual well­ being of the people on our teams. I’ve realized that growth, maturity and discipleship happen best when I come alongside my team members to grow and mature with them instead of forcing them to grow and mature at the rate that I want them to. Jesus didn’t call us to do more or be more. The Gospel of grace is amazing because Jesus did everything for us, so all we have to do is be His. Christ desires for us to grow, mature and become disciples of his; but none of those are more important than simply BEING His. Instead of pushing our people to DO or BE more, let’s lead them back to Jesus and to the perfect work that He did, so they can live in freedom and be His.

Here are a few things you can do today:

1. If you need to repent for pushing someone off a cliff, do it. Go apologize to them.

2. Encourage your team with the truth that their doing is not as important as their being.
We don’t have to strive for moral perfection or fulfillment of the Law, because Jesus
did it for us (Romans 8:1­11).

3. Talk with your team members and ask them what they want their involvement to be.
Instead of pushing a potential leader off a cliff, sit down with him/her and ask what
they feel called to. Work through their callings with them instead of aimlessly
pushing them to meet your expectations.