“Lessons On Life & Leadership”
One year ago this week, my niece Jocelyn died from skin cancer. It was a brutal tragedy on several levels. Her memorial service was held in September, and her sister Jill came with her kids. Jill introduced me to her oldest, an eleven-year-old boy named Roland, and said, “Roland loves baseball.”
“Nice to meet you,” I responded, “then asked, you’re from Michigan so I guess you’re a Tigers’ fan?” Roland immediately corrected me, “No, I like the Cleveland Guardians.”
That prompted the obvious question, “How’d you get to be a Cleveland fan?” Jill interrupted with, “That’s because of you, Uncle.” “What’s that?” “Remember when you were the chaplain for the Colorado Spring Sky Sox baseball team? You used to take us to the games. They were an affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, so I started rooting for Cleveland and now Roland does too.”
“Okay,” I muttered. “So Roland, the Oakland A’s are moving to Sacramento for a few years. You should fly out and I’ll take you to a game or two.” “Yeah, that sounds fun,” he replied.
I believe that was the entire conversation. Maybe five minutes, maybe three? When the baseball schedule came earlier this year, I remembered that conversation and sent a text to Jill, “If Roland wants to come out the offer still stands.” She asked when the Guardians were in town and then sent me an “Unaccompanied minor” notice for a plane ticket for Roland that she got on points.”
“Who is this person who is coming out?” Lori asked. “He’s Jill’s son, I don’t know him. His name is Roland.” The only other Roland I’ve even heard about is Roland Glen ‘Rollie’ Fingers who used to pitch for the A’s, Padres and Brewers back in the seventies.
A week or so before Roland came out, I got a special invitation from the Athletics that before the game on Saturday they were having a meet and greet with a Hall of Famer. I immediately signed up. Then a couple days later, I thought, “Who is doing the meet and greet?” I checked it was Roland ‘Rollie’ Fingers. Wow, how’d that happen.
But I hadn’t heard back from the A’s so the day before the game I sent a note to Sergio, my rep with the team, telling him about Roland meeting Roland but I hadn’t received any confirmation. Sergio emailed back that it was all taken care of.
Roland and I went to the meet and greet—along with about a hundred seventy-something emotional A’s fans and autograph hawks. We stood in the back, but I encouraged Roland to move up to the front—kids should get autographs first. But he didn’t want to. It didn’t look promising, but I finagled a way to get him to Rollie. So Roland met Hall of Fame pitcher, Roland!
While this was happening, Sergio sent me a text: “Would you and Roland like an upgrade to your seats tonight?” Wow! Now Lori, our son Scott, his two boys and our granddaughter Ava were meeting us and sitting with us, but I said, “Yes, thank you!” to Sergio. We found him and he asked, “Do you want me to tell you or should I surprise you with your new seats.” Roland immediately said, “Surprise us!”
He started toward our new seats. I suspected we’d be upstairs near the suites, but Sergio took us downstairs. At the bottom of the stairs stood a hug rack full of peanuts, popcorn, Cracker Jacks, candy--all sorts of munchies. He pointed toward a cooler, “Anything you want is yours, as much as you want.” Then we headed down a long tunnel that spilled out right behind home plate. We took two steps to the left, Sergio pointed and announced, “These are your seats!” Incredible. Better than right behind the umpire.
Roland admitted, “These are the best seats I’ve ever had.” I added, “These are the best seats anyone has had. A girl came over to us, sat down next to me and stated, “Scan this menu, all the food and drinks are free. Do you drink?” “I don’t, and we’ll probably sneak out a bit to go see my wife in the other seats.” “Does she drink?” “No, but my son does.” “Order his alcohol here, and you can bring it up to him.”
That entire adventure was unbelievable.
The next day, Roland came to church with us—our people treated him like royalty. Two of my grandsons wanted to go to the game with us that day, so I went online to get two more seats. The closest I could find were one row ahead of us, closer to the field and the aisle.
When we got to the game, I asked the lady in the room next to us if she would mind trading. It obviously made her uncomfortable, she said, “I’ll have to ask my husband.” When he came back, we made the switch. Then the lady came back, sat in her seats and said, “I don’t like those seats, so we aren’t trading.” Awkward. Roland and my grandson, Micah moved to the other seats. I thought, “Everything went great yesterday, so maybe today won’t be so great.”
After a couple innings, a few A’s workers got out the T-shirt guns and started firing them into the crowd. One hit the lady behind Roland, she bobbled it, another guy deflected it, and Roland got it. I turned to the lady next to me and scolded, “If you would have switched seats, you would have gotten that T-shirt.” No, I didn’t. They left a bit later, so we all got to sit together.
The entire trip was a huge gift for Roland. He connected with the grandkids, made new friends, walked away with bobbleheads, plus some old baseball paraphernalia I had—anything Cleveland. Lori treated him like a king.
I stepped back in wonder. Here’s what I learned from my weekend with Roland.
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? — Romans 8:31-33 (NIV)
Four Observations:
God loves you and me
And we did nothing to deserve it.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.—John 3:16 (NIV)
David put it this way:
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.==Psalm 23:6 (KJV)
God has some amazing opportunities planned for you and me
God has special excursions all set up for us. Maybe a baseball trip to Sacramento isn’t your jam, but God has something for you that is. God has some unbelievable seat upgrades for us.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” –Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
Leaders are simply facilitators of God’s love and opportunities
Our task as leaders is to activate and facilitate. Leading is not about us. It’s not about becoming famous and having people want our autograph. Its all about others. Leadership is seeing something could happen, maybe needs to happen or should happen, then watching God make it happen.
Sergio saw an opportunity and facilitated us getting in and getting elevated.
“But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.” –I Chronicles 19:14 (NIV)
Leaders may never understand the impact we will have on others
My niece is a Cleveland fan, and she blames me.
Excel has a podcast where we ask church planters and leaders how they came to Jesus and got into ministry. I can’t think of anyone who cited some Christian celebrity, famous pastor, or renowned speaker. It’s the youth worker, the Sunday School teacher, friend, buddy, coworker or relative.
You don’t know the effect you have.
I was amazed at how many A’s fans were crying while hearing Rollie Fingers. Our work is way more instrumental than any baseball game. In heaven there will be a ton of folks crying around you, and you may not even remember them.
Four Challenges:
Our challenge is to say yes to God
“Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you. I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things I have given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you.” --1 Chronicles 29:16-17 (NIV)
It would have been so easy for Roland to say, “No thanks, I don’t need to go to California next summer.” It would have been so natural for Jill to say, “No way am I letting my kid travel a couple thousand miles to be with people he doesn’t even know.” It would have been much more comfortable to say, “Thanks, Sergio, but I want to sit with my family. Our seats are already good enough.”
We could be like that lady in the seat next to us, , thinking I’m good here, don’t mess with me.
I asked Roland why his mom even said yes. He immediately replied, “She tends to say yes.”
Be careful, build a solid foundation, develop good boundaries in your life, secure wise counselors, but let’s be people who tend to say yes to God and yes to our leaders.
Our challenge is to say thank you
David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly, saying,
“Praise be to you, Lord,
the God of our father Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.
Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.” –1 Chronicles 29:11-13 (NIV)
A couple times, I had to remind Roland, “What do you say?” By the end of the trip, he was quick with the gratitude.
I had several occasions over the weekend to stop and think about the great things God was doing for Roland. That led to me recognizing so many of the great things God is doing for me. What do you day, JD?
Do we say thank you to the leaders, the activators, the facilitators in our life? As church staff members it is easy to complain, criticize and second guess the Lead Pastor. How about instead, we say thanks. They got you the job, they gave you the opportunity, they activated and facilitated so you could benefit from so many of God’s blessings.
First thing Monday I sent a nice note to Sergio. I sent a nice note to Jill for trusting us with her son. I made it a point to thank Lori for her big part in the weekend. I need to thank the grandkids. They embraced Roland, but didn’t have to.
Our challenge is to ask, “Who’s next and what’s next?”
“Who then will offer willingly, consecrating himself today to the Lord?”—1 Chronicles 29:5 (NIV)
- J.D. Pearring
JD Pearring’s leadership experience includes planting churches, growing congregations and helping church planters and leaders take the next step on their journey. He also currently serves as the Director of the Excel Leadership Network; Church Planting Lead for the Pacific Church Network, the Rocky Mountain Church Network; Venture Church Network of Northern California; and Teaching Team Coach at Journey Church in Elk Grove, CA. JD is a graduate of UCLA, Denver Seminary, and he has a PhD from California State Christian University in Missional Leadership. He has written three books: Leading the Other Way; Preaching the Other Way; and Expecting the Unexpected. JD and his wife, Lori, have four children, fourteen grandchildren, with another on the way.