CHAPTER 43: RELINQUISHING RESPONSIBILITY/DELEGATION
I’m not necessarily talking about a vacation to Hawaii. Although if you are okay with using the old adage “I need a vacation”, you might end up in Hawaii, but when you own your own business, how much could that vacation really cost you? If you can walk away from the business, are you walking away from stress or God? I ask myself that question, and I can only answer it for myself. I love my job, I can’t wait to get up and work everyday. A vacation for me gets in the way. I do ask myself though, when people go on vacation, what is the cost of leaving the ship when you are in charge. It does cross my mind, when we feel the need to get away, are we getting away from God, His will, His jurisdiction, direction, so on and so forth. You can imagine, I certainly get a lot of push back. In this Chapter I will share one thing for sure. In my history, vacations have caused problems, the problem isn’t the vacation, it is the mind set behind the quote “need a break” syndrome. If I go anywhere, I’m in my office away from my office, or in a city or state where there is a client or work to be done. I’m never away from the pulse of my company.
What I’m talking about here is excuses. Excuses do not pay well.“If it’s meant to be, God will do it.” True statement, unless your heart is that of a bum and it gives you an excuse to step away from the responsibilities at hand. You are a fiduciary, a small group of individuals given authority by the Lord. Your job is to do His direction — obedience with a good attitude relying on His power to be glorified by your actions.
If you choose incorrectly and decide to opt out because you need a break, you will definitely risk a longer vacation than anticipated, and I hope you’ve got a lot of money saved, because your business will suffer or it is suffering already, which is even a greater reason to stay focused.
“Everybody needs a break,” as people say. You never, ever hear anybody say “you don’t need a break, you need to get back to work until you’re solid.” You know why nobody says that? I think it’s because the world has changed, and not for the better. And I’ll tell you this, a lot of businesses fail, people won’t do the hard thing and just work it. There’s still a few and many are on this phone, those people that work, they just work and the ones that work correctly — don’t care about going anywhere, they like what they’re doing. It’s the most fun ever. “Faith, business, family, health”, I work it everyday and it’s a blast. Stay in the game, lead the troops, charge the hill, be the “man, myth, legend” or for the girls, “woman, myth, legend.” When I’m tired I take example from Luke describing the “Son of Man”, when he needs a break.
Luke 5:16 English Standard Version (ESV)
16 But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.
You notice scripture doesn’t mention going to Monaco for a two-week fun-in-the-sun vacation. Jesus had work to do and He got it done in a short amount of time, in 3 years, He changed the world. What about delegation? Important point, Moses learned it in the desert with about 3 million people in the desert. He needed help to do the job, so he managed people, looked over the bosses in charge. Jesus did the same — Yes, the son of man, used delegation with His team — but he never left them. In this short excerpt I’m about to read, Jesus was focused on the Jews, this is before he turned his attention on the gentiles like me and you. He was just getting the party started…
Matthew 10
New Living Translation
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles
10 Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them authority to cast out evil[a] spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness. 2 Here are the names of the twelve apostles:
first, Simon (also called Peter),
then Andrew (Peter’s brother),
James (son of Zebedee),
John (James’s brother),
3
Philip,
Bartholomew,
Thomas,
Matthew (the tax collector),
James (son of Alphaeus),
Thaddaeus,[b]
4
Simon (the zealot[c]),
Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).
5 Jesus sent out the twelve apostles with these instructions: “Don’t go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans, 6 but only to the people of Israel—God’s lost sheep. 7 Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near.[d] 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received!
9 “Don’t take any money in your money belts—no gold, silver, or even copper coins. 10 Don’t carry a traveler’s bag with a change of clothes and sandals or even a walking stick. Don’t hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve to be fed.
11 “Whenever you enter a city or village, search for a worthy person and stay in his home until you leave town. 12 When you enter the home, give it your blessing. 13 If it turns out to be a worthy home, let your blessing stand; if it is not, take back the blessing. 14 If any household or town refuses to welcome you or listen to your message, shake its dust from your feet as you leave. 15 I tell you the truth, the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah will be better off than such a town on the judgment day.
16 “Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves. 17 But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogues. 18 You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me.[e] 19 When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. 20 For it is not you who will be speaking—it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Delegation is a big deal! However, you do notice what the last line says, ‘it will be the spirit of your father speaking through you.’
The apostles would never be alone. Jesus did not delegate and then take a trip to the Bahamas. He stayed tight with His team. Learn from the example. Wherever you are, be available to those who depend on you and be ever vigilant to rock n’ roll when necessary.
“What, don’t take a vacation?” I’m not telling you one way or the other, I’m sharing what I’ve experienced in turnaround.
When things are good, pay attention, when things are bad, pay attention.
Many differences of opinion come against me on it. I’m just telling you what I’ve learned. Use it to your success or ignore it to no good end. I’m here to help, not to give theories and generalities, but rather, historical evidence, fact, not fiction, keep your eye on the ball, the real deal, truth as I have experienced it, not once in a while, all the while, all the time, consistently.
Let’s recap. The first decision to relinquish responsibility is using the phrase “give it to God” incorrectly. Using it as an excuse to be lazy or to avoid the hard work. The apostles did amazing things in the power of God, but be clear, they “DID” capital DID things, a verb, get it, working with God is a verb. We have a lesson on that. Look it up.
When do you turn it over to God?
As fiduciary, large and in charge, do your chores first and then give the results to the Lord. Let Him do the things you can’t! You do the things you can! Example, He’s not going to make your bed, make your calls, pay your bills, negotiate you creditors, wash your truck and so on. Kickin’ back and sayin’ “if it’s meant to be, God will do it,” is like letting go of the steering wheel, taking a nap and expecting the car to be on the road when you wake up.
Relinquishing authority is to give away your responsibility and be ready to entertain catastrophic results, maybe not today, but it is in motion. “Breach of Fiduciary Duty.” There may be a good reason to leave your post. I’ll guarantee you, good reason or not, it won’t pay well. The more I study scripture, the deeper my understanding becomes of my personal responsibility. It means something big to take care of what God has given me. Staying the course is the only way to find out what He has in store for me. I don’t deserve God’s mercy. I accept His grace in respect of doing my responsibility.
Giving back, never giving up.
Acceptance is powerful tool. Doing what is right when you’d rather do something else.
Romans 12:2 English Standard Version (ESV)
2 Do not be conformed to this world,[a] but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
That verse doesn’t say anything about vacations and cruise control for casual times. We have a job to do and in that job He teaches us to be better. It’s important to stay intimately involved in all aspects of our business, whether it be small or large.
Luke 16:10 New Living Translation (NLT)
10 “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.
The myth that someone else can do your job is just that – a myth. It is not true. To rest is one thing. Leaving your post is quite another. How do you take a break?
Mark 6:30-32 English Standard Version (ESV)
30 The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. 31 And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest awhile.”
For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. 32 And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves.
Again, notice, it doesn’t say anything about a two week vacation, or leave your cell phone off and expect everything to be okay. They rested, short term, a little sleep and a sandwich.
Eleanor Roosevelt once said: In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility.
George Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture, and politics extended from the 1880s to his death and beyond. His quote for this day: Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it.
To accomplish more in a shorter time, we need to delegate tasks to others. Compress time efficiently. Learn to lead, teach and inspire others through your own example.
“You guys work and make me money while I take off.” Not a good example, ever. Never a good result.
Age Before Beauty
One must put in the time and process of learning to enjoy the beauty of success. You gotta put in the time to be great. For things to be beautiful, you gotta put in the time, let your prospects simmer, like a wonderful pot of stew, tend to them regularly, hover about them, with a wonderful array of herbs and seasoning, until each creation is perfectly scrumptious, ready for the guests to enjoy, where fellowship can abound around the table and creative ideas can be born.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 English Standard Version (ESV)
11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
Everybody, you are on task to do an assignment, quit being “lamos.” How do you do an assignment you might ask? Write what you’ve learned today, and how you’re going to use it in your business. Say a prayer that the Holy Spirit direct the writing so that others can be blessed by your story. Stay vigilant at your post, tend to the chores of today at all times, be excited and grateful for what the Lord has given. Hey, I’m just sayin’. Amen.
