May 12. Returning Empty Handed.

As the leader of teams, we expect our team members to carry out their tasks and accomplish what we set out as goals to achieve our purpose. So how do you handle the situation when a team member comes back empty handed, unsuccessful, or the task is incomplete?

There are many reasons that this could occur. It could be a lack of training. It might be that you have a great person doing the wrong thing. Maybe something has happened to the team member rendering them temporarily or even permanently incapable?

It could also be that it did not get completed because they ran into a situation that challenged them at their very core about the company’s purpose. If your purpose gets lost, fractured or separated from a team member, then you can expect them to disrupt the value delivery system.

The tasks our team members are asked to complete will probably be disrupted as well. Where might anyone on your team be out of sync with your purpose? When one looks back briefly into the past, we all can find some moments were the purpose and people got fractured.

When bones get fractured, we take great care to get medical attention and address the problem. Our teams and team members are the most important assets we have. It takes a courageous leader to be accountable for giving the fracture the attention it needs.

What is the first thing you can do to address it in the next seven days?

Do you remember there was a festival occurring once when the Jewish leaders sent out guards to arrest Jesus? But the guards came back empty handed. It was not that they could not find him.

They came back empty handed because they listened to the crowd and to Jesus and they were amazed by his teachings. They were challenged by Jesus's purpose and found his purpose to be a higher calling than their original purpose of arresting him.

They made the decision to abandon their orders. All the investment made into them in the form of schooling, training, guard seminars, leadership seminars all were ineffective after they heard Jesus. We read about this amazing event in the book of John 7:32 NLT.

So, the question of the day is where are we training ourselves to our highest purpose? There is not concern with our training as compared with anyone else. We each have an individual connection and means to be of value and purpose in this world.

I must ask myself though, where might God be asking me to serve in his purpose? If we are connected to Christ, then we are also called to grow in Christ. Growing means that I need to change. I should want to change, and it is ok. It is alright to let others who can train me and lead me, to do so.

If others have the right purpose in Christ, I will grow towards a stronger relationship with Christ by the training I receive. Where can you assist others with your attitude, talents, and skills? Where can others assist you with their unique attitudes, talents, and skills?

As a leader in your faith, we can be accountable to promote and participate in this type of training and growth. What is the first thing that you can do in the next seven days to advance the kingdom by doing either?

Let us pray, Heavenly Father, you are so good. Our challenging and pluralistic world distracts us from our purpose. Many people of our world have not connected to a definite purpose.

We pray today that you might assist us where we might be short in working on our purpose. Help the distractions to dissolve before our very eyes like sugar dissolves in water when stirred.

Help to shape us into your purpose, not into the purpose that leads us into more sin. Guide us Jesus, we want our training and our lives to follow you. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen,