How Can I Help?

“All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

John 14:25-28

“ARGH!!” She spun in the entryway, puffy purple winter boots, fuzzy baby blue mittens and ski pants flying.

I knelt down beside her. “C’mon.  Jump!” She stepped into her ski pants and hopped up as I pulled them up over her unicorn printed pants. “Now, this leg.” I tapped her leg and she put it in her right foot boot. “Now this one.” I tapped her left leg.

I zipped her coat up close to her chin without pinching it, scooped the elastics of her matching flower-print face mask around her ears and pulled her florescent pink hat down over her ponytail.

I kissed her on her forehead and pushed her out the door for the school bus 5 minutes early. Her tiny footprints marked the fresh dusting of snow we’d received the night before. As I watched her out the frosted front window, I realized I’d done it again.  True, we’d gotten it all done with time to spare; as her Mom it’s so easy to do it for her at this age, swoop in and fix her problems, but as her parent, I’m required to do so much more than this.

I can do this as a leader too.

How often, as leaders, do we see a problem, address the problem, rally a team around the problem, present the problem and delegate the next steps AND if they don’t do it right, swoop in and “get ‘er done”, slightly irritated and a wee bit righteous while we do?

This isn’t what Jesus requires of me as a parent and this isn’t what Jesus requires of me as a leader.  Jesus painted the picture for the disciples, taught them his ways and then he sent them on mission reminding them that the Holy Spirit would be their helper.

Ah, helper. Not doer; not even director, manager or boss, but helper.

What powerful words are the words “How can I help?”
How can I help says: I trust you.
How can I help says: I believe in you.
How can I help says: you can do this.
How can I help says: you have the skills and talents, abilities and creativity to solve this problem.
How can I help says: I’m with you.

As leaders, Jesus wants us to direct those we lead to Him, not to us.
As parents, Jesus wants us to direct our children to Him, not to us.

What if we did just this? What if we put in the time to acknowledge the problem, teach and train but then when problems arise, we step back and ask, “How can I help?” Knowing that the Holy Spirit, the greatest helpmate, will remind them and direct them in their next steps and that He may very well use them to solve the problem in a way I hadn’t anticipated.

What if, as a leader, I endeavour to do as Jesus did: be with, teach and train, and then let them go. Am I not called to be more than a delegator, or director but a discipleship maker?