Counting Towels

Better is open rebuke than hidden love.  Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.

Proverbs 27:5-6

Oh man.  Being a leader is a gift and blessing, meant to help others...but sometimes it can feel like a curse...because it requires courage to lead other people.  And many times you fail...and feel like an idiot for ever even trying.  Those are the valleys of being a leader - making mistakes and leading others into them.  Stink.  I hate that, because sometimes the consequences don't just affect you, but many other people.

On Friday we had our 1st official YL Siliguri leader meeting.  We've had a lot of smaller meetings in the past but this was the first time we were all together (well, a few were missing, but that's how it goes).

I wanted to give them an overview of YL and then spend time praying for teenagers in Siliguri and talking about where they could meet high school kids (one of the main challenges here in India b/c you can't go into the high schools any time).  Essentially I just wanted us to be united in heart and mind before we started meeting high school kids.

I wasn't prepared.  The meeting wasn't very focused.  I was trying to cover way too much.  I wasn't explicit in what I wanted from them.  I should have talked strategy with just a few leaders beforehand.  And so...

They counted towels.  Seriously.  That's when you know you haven't led your team very well...when they start counting the towels in your house.  And planning which towel I should use each day of the week.  Haha!

Just to clarify, I inherited 7 towels from the previous renter, ok!  

Yesterday I met with my friend and fellow leader, Mingure, to talk strategy.  We decided that working in the same area of town is probably better because it will unite us as leaders because we're going together to the same place.  And we'll have a greater impact.

Not only did we talk about strategy, but Mingure asked me about the meeting and gave me many critiques.  Many of it was hard to hear, but he's always good about lightening the mood (hence the towel story!).  I left that place not with bitterness towards Mingure but gratefulness for his honesty.  If I'm going to be a leader I need to be open to constructive criticism, especially from valid sources.  So, as the verse above says, I left a little wounded but it was a wound that will hopefully produce much fruit because it came from someone I trust.

I also realized that it's not going to be in the big meetings with 20 people that they really understand YL. But it's the one-on-one conversations that I'm able to have with them where they have those "a-ha" moments.  However, I will definitely be re-evaluating how those big group meetings can be more effective :)  Thanks Mingure!