PEOPLE ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN PROGRAMS

I spend way more time planning and organizing programs than I do actually being with kids and leaders. Because of this I often forget that people are more important than programs. I have a hunch that you’re the same way. Not too long ago, I got a voice mail from a parent who said their young teenager had an infection growing in his foot and was going into surgery. I called the parents and it was apparent that I needed to visit him in the hospital. But the crazy thing is that it didn’t fit into my schedule. It was the week before a major kid’s event and I was swamped with “ministry” stuff to do. Knowing that I needed to go, I made the time to do it. When I got there it was good to meet with the family. We caught up on old times, and I prayed with the boy. Overall I really enjoyed meeting with them and I think they were comforted by my presence. I was once again reminded of the most important thing that leaders do – love people. It is easy to get consumed in the logistics of running programs and forget Jesus calls us to love people. I even sometimes avoid people and focus my attention on programs. Programs are predictable, can be controlled, and require less emotional energy. But people are unpredictable and they require us to give our whole selves to them. This whole ordeal was a way of God reminding me to always make time for people. After all, we’re in the people business, aren’t we?