“Line up behind, Thalia!”
A flurry of motion and some jostling and the kids formed a line.
“Each of you will get two swings, before you take off the blindfold and pass the stick to the person behind you.”
Thwack! Thalia smacked the piñata with vigor. My wife, Kristine, chuckled at the sidelines with a group of parents at the birthday party. If there is an activity for a group of kids at a birthday, Sunday School, or soccer practice, I’m the guy who’s going to be running it. It’s a natural fit for me; I’ve been a vice-principal and teacher for 15 years. I’ve honed my “teacher voice”, as my wife has named it. Getting kids excited is well within my wheelhouse.
There are other topics that aren’t in my wheelhouse: fixing the car or helping my kids with music practice. I can talk for hours about parenting and education, but when the topic shifts to the Calgary Flames I fall silent and ease into the background. I have no knowledge of hockey.
The book of Nehemiah tells of an unlikely leader, a cupbearer to King Artaxerxes I of Persia (464 to 425 B.C.). Nehemiah embarks on a mission to rebuild the city of Jerusalem. He has no formal training in building fortifications or engineering. The people who worked with him were called the remnant. They came from diverse places and held a variety of occupations, but not builder or mason. They were goldsmiths, perfumers, priests, and civil servants – imagine the complexity of organizing this group! Was it any wonder that Nehemiah’s critics laughed at him, “What are you doing?!?” I’m sure Nehemiah asked himself the same thing.
Each group was given a responsibility, a section of wall, a gate. Everyone worked on the wall despite it being outside his wheelhouse. Except one. “And next to them the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles would not stoop to serve their Lord.” (Nehemiah 3:5). I was astounded. What kind of person would dare to ignore God’s plan? Then, I caught myself.
I’ve done that. I’ve refused to do tasks that are beneath me. Haven’t I worked to attain my position? I took the worst jobs when I was starting out as a teacher. Seniority should have some perks my ego insists. I bring my ego under control. Great leaders don’t stand above their team. They build shoulder-to-shoulder with team members who may also be working outside their comfort zone – like perfumers and goldsmiths building the wall with Nehemiah. My status as a vice principal means that I push the mop to clean up the throw-up, I help the kinders get snow pants on and I empty the dishwasher in the staffroom.
There are 10,000 reasons you aren’t the best person for the task in front of you. There is one reason that you are. It is in front of you.
