"H" Is For Hater
HOW TO HANDLE HATERS A message of encouragement to those who are going through Haterville
"For the good of all" is the degree to which we must work. The reason is obvious -- anything less would prove to be self- sabotage. If we are working for anything worthwhile, we can't stop and think about who might or might not benefit. If we measure our effort to make sure Joe Blow down the hall doesn't get any credit, we are limit our own reward as well.
It would be like the farmer expecting all his fields to produce, but then only fertilizing and watering half his acreage.
We all have seen this sort of self-sabotage mostly at work, but it also happens in churches, homes and relationships. It is often seen in the attitude that says, "I'm not going to give full effort because some other person is going to get all the glory."
The world is full of examples of shortened efforts because some one or some group didn't want another person or group to gain any benefit. "We will praise and worship the Lord among this group, but we don't want people from down the road to benefit from our praise and worship."
This is foolish. There is nothing wrong with sharing the glory or having a group credit when the work is all said and done. But all too often we let ego get in the way of excellence. People unwilling to share the glory, or allow any one else or any other department (or project or family), to share in the benefits reaped are short-sighted, refusing to see that "for the good of all" includes them. They won't lose if others gain, but for some reason they feel threatened if they don't get it all for themselves.
If there is a chance someone else might share in it, the ego- motivated folks temper their effort or stop it altogether. The result is that the final product is less than it could have been.
Whatever you are doing, every moment that you work to prevent some benefit from going to someone else is another moment you are short-changing yourself. It is impossible to work for benefit AND work to limit someone else's benefit at the same time.
Think about this the next time you are called upon to work for some great project or joint effort in the Body of Christ. Don't spend time trying to limit who will benefit. Work instead toward building benefit for as many as possible. Let's be about our Father's Business!
"For the good of all" is the degree to which we must work. The reason is obvious -- anything less would prove to be self- sabotage. If we are working for anything worthwhile, we can't stop and think about who might or might not benefit. If we measure our effort to make sure Joe Blow down the hall doesn't get any credit, we are limit our own reward as well.
It would be like the farmer expecting all his fields to produce, but then only fertilizing and watering half his acreage.
We all have seen this sort of self-sabotage mostly at work, but it also happens in churches, homes and relationships. It is often seen in the attitude that says, "I'm not going to give full effort because some other person is going to get all the glory."
The world is full of examples of shortened efforts because some one or some group didn't want another person or group to gain any benefit. "We will praise and worship the Lord among this group, but we don't want people from down the road to benefit from our praise and worship."
This is foolish. There is nothing wrong with sharing the glory or having a group credit when the work is all said and done. But all too often we let ego get in the way of excellence. People unwilling to share the glory, or allow any one else or any other department (or project or family), to share in the benefits reaped are short-sighted, refusing to see that "for the good of all" includes them. They won't lose if others gain, but for some reason they feel threatened if they don't get it all for themselves.
If there is a chance someone else might share in it, the ego- motivated folks temper their effort or stop it altogether. The result is that the final product is less than it could have been.
Whatever you are doing, every moment that you work to prevent some benefit from going to someone else is another moment you are short-changing yourself. It is impossible to work for benefit AND work to limit someone else's benefit at the same time.
Think about this the next time you are called upon to work for some great project or joint effort in the Body of Christ. Don't spend time trying to limit who will benefit. Work instead toward building benefit for as many as possible. Let's be about our Father's Business!