The story is told of a team that went out on a mission to a distant land. All members of the mission team got up early, took their travelling bags and supplies, and made it to the bus terminus before the departure time. They set off by 9:00am, hoping to take six hours to their destination. After travelling for about six hours, with everyone talking excitedly about the mission, the bus suddenly ground to a halt “in the middle of nowhere.” The bus driver left his seat and came to address the passengers: “I have news for all of us (pause). I have both good news and also bad news (everyone looked at him with anticipation). The good news is that we are on a smooth road and are traveling very fast (all were excited by the news). The bad news is that I don’t know where we are, nor how to get back to where we started (all faces fell, then panic and confusion gripped the passengers).
On many occasions we entrust our lives to diverse drivers that ultimately take control of our spiritual, social, and economic lives. Like the missioners, we board the bus, not being careful about who the driver is, or whether he is conversant with the route. Our confidence is based on the fact that he sits behind the steering and has the company uniform. However, sitting behind the steering and having the company uniform is not sufficient to guarantee a safe journey.
The story reminds us that we can be the drivers of the bus, or passengers in the bus: drivers because we have leadership positions to help steer the congregations or meetings; passengers because we could be part of those being directed by the leadership. As the clerk of a meeting, or member of a given fellowship, what is your role? Would you say that you know where you are leading the flock? Have you ever reached a point that you felt you were not so sure of the next step to take? Have you ever felt that the “driver” had left you in a maze that you could not come out? There is a place in ministry where we must concede that we are limited; a place where we need to get the assistance of others; a place where we say that for us to go ahead we need the input of others.
Simion Khaemba
Query for reflection
How can I go about informing my meeting that I have reached the end of my wits/abilities, as a leader?
How can I go about correcting a mess that was caused by the one in leadership?
Action step
Share with someone your experience, as a driver, or passenger, the mess you found yourself in, and how you handled the situation. Give hope and guidance to anyone that may be groping about in uncertainty, not knowing what to do.
Prayer Focus:
Lord, we pray for those in leadership that they would have the courage to ask for help when they don’t know what to do and for those who are followers that they would work with their leaders to find a new way when the current one is not working.
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