November 6. I Have Too Much.

As leaders of families or organizations, we have a balancing act to do with our teams. It is possible that some of our responsibilities are to assign and delegate tasks to our family or team members. It is like the rain falling on the farmer’s field, the crops need it to grow and provide a harvest.

The pieces of the process should fit together and provide their own part of the value proposition. Good seeds, moisture, sunlight, and soil nutrients all need to work together to create a crop for harvest. But too much rain is not good for the crops. In fact, too much at the wrong time can wash away the seeds planted in the fields which wastes resources.

Too much rain can create runoff and even turn waterways into transportation routes for soil. If too much is given to a team member, the same result can happen. The former efficient processes might become waterways carrying our value away from where we want it to be.

Where might there be a disconnect from too much in your organization right now? It could be an expectation issue, or it might be a delivery time misunderstanding, or it might be an attitude issue. An excess of an inappropriate attitude on your team is like that excessive rain.

It can flood those on the team that may tend to be downcast in their personality. It can soak others and weigh them down like a wet blanket. Where can you make some adjustments to change the attitudes of your team? Imagine what it would be worth if you could control when and where it rains.

We cannot control the weather but as a leader you can impact the attitude of your team. What is the first thing that you can do about it this week?

As the holidays approach, it is a good time to be mindful of such runoffs. Where are we living in excess? Loving someone is not always shown by acting the same way every time. I know that some of my loving behaviors have been interpreted by others as being enabling.

I was not trying to achieve that when I thought I was just being loving. Where might we be pressing too much which could result in us stunting our growth as well as others being stunted?

We read, “A ruler who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain that leaves no crops.” Proverbs 28:3 NIV. Too much rain can cause floods. Property can be destroyed, growth destroyed, and productivity halted. In our relationships, too much can transform loving intentions into resentment.

It can dissolve trust and grow isolating behaviors. Where might we be working on our own too much when our brothers and sisters in Christ can help? If our attitude is focused on ourselves, we likely have too much rain. If our attitude believes that we have to do it all, we are likely in a flood zone.

Maybe we can work together like the irrigation systems work for the farmer, where every distribution point for water delivers part of the load. Maybe that is the best way for us to deliver the news of Jesus Christ who is the living water. What is the first thing that you can do about it in the next seven days?

Let us pray, Jesus, you are the living water. Guide us today to be open to the attitude of loving others. Help us to be understood in a loving way. Soften our attitudes where they have been hardened against loving you. Guide us so that we might follow your example. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen,