CHAPTER 43: RELINQUISHING RESPONSIBILITY/DELEGATION 2026
Would you delegate your salvation to an employee? Pretty outrageous opener, right? Think about it. Go into the office Monday morning and meet with a number of different professionals, run interviews and then from the list, compile background information and discussion points and then decide on one particular applicant suitable for the job.
“Hey, Bob, I have selected you to handle all my salvation. This job will include all faith based needs, bible studies, ministry responsibilities, tithes, offering and prayer to Jesus? Personally, I’m just out of time and I need these area of my responsibilities covered. And by the way, if I end up in hell, you will be held responsible, sign this agreement please, your compensation will be based on results, i.e., how my life is going which theoretically should reflect your work on my behalf. The risk here, Bob, for you clearly, If I’m not doing well, then you don’t do well and hell becomes a real concern for me. At least that’s the way I would see things. You see Bob, what I do with my salvation, God’s gift to me, will lead me into the original blueprint God meant for me, and all that is in your hands, Bob. If you’re willing to take this job seriously, Bob, then the opportunity to serve in God’s army is yours, because, after all, it is God’s work and you, my friend, get to serve by ensuring my salvation. It’s a big job, Bob, tremendous responsibility. Good news, right Bob?”
Charles Spurgeon writes: “Pride is a sin with a thousand lives, it seems impossible to kill it, it flourishes on that which should be its poison, glorying in its shame. It is a sin with thousand shapes, by perpetual change it excepts capture. It seems impossible to hold it, the vapory demon slips from you, only to appear in another form and mock your fruitless pursuit. To die to pride and self, one would need to die himself.”
Clearly, I am in charge of my relationship with God and I get in my own way of that dynamic. How often do I make up my own rules and expect everyone to believe that my way is so incredibly sound and pure? We all know that thinking. How I might even wonder how people would not understand the clarity and stream of consciousness that I possess. It gets worse.
“Hey, Bob, while you’re at it, would you take care of my family as well? Yea, the kids are problematic and the Misses is demanding, so I’m going to send out some resumes, see if I can get those responsibilities covered…, unless, hey Bob, as long as you’re covering my salvation and fellowship chores, maybe it would be a natural to take on the family, might be a little extra, easy money? Yea, I’ll handle the business, I’ve got some hard money interests waiting in the wings ready to throw at the company, been working on a new “minimum viable product, venture capitalized, seed funding for scalability, pivot Bob, that’s the name of the game at our current burn rate, creating a viable exit strategy, bla, bla, that’s the idea, Bob, with you taking care of my salvation the unicorn is mine to acquire!”
The story of Bob, the salvation specialist happens all the time. Sounds like a fairy tale, right? Wrong. Not if Bob is a demon or the devil himself. Yea, think about it. How else do I come up with these ideas? Bob, gives a good interview when I’m looking for ways to relinquish responsibility and delegate what is mine to do, and expect people to do that for me! We believe our own nonsense to varying degrees, but it is nonsense and there is a huge tendency to capitalize on dangerous shenanigans and believe one’s own fraudulent directives, whole heartedly, especially with Bob’s help.
2 Timothy 4:5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
Many of you are just starting out. You’ll notice immediately that things got better and then they got harder. What happened? You happened. Your responsibilities have become clear, and rather than change them, you fight them in the name of “I’m a victim of unfortunate circumstances and these things I do that you say are wrong must be done this way and this is why, let me show you, and so I need you, Pat, to get on board, and while we’re at it let’s pray, God, you get on board with me, too, please.”
Suddenly, unqualified people are more important than qualified people. Unqualified people do what you say, qualified people tell you to change, right now, right away, you are incorrect and heading for the proverbial cliff. Yea, who wants to listen to that, right, especially when you’ve got a bunch of people that although unqualified are a lot easier for you to deal with.
Costly lesson? Very. Learning is inconvenient and it doesn’t feel hip, slick and cool. Take heart, it is good to learn from the Lord! Stop engaging stupid and start down the path of God, it is a narrow gate, few find it, however those who do, use their salvation for something meaningful, directed and taught by the Lord.
Isaiah 40:31 But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.
There is a set of scripture perfect for accepting God’s responsibility in our lives. “Soar up into heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6). Then we set ourselves on the course to run the race (Hebrews 12:1). Then we are in a good place to walk the walk (Colossians 2:6). They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:31).”
CEO’s with experience, they “Lead, Teach and Inspire,” those CEO’s without experience believe that they can simply do what they want and anybody that matters will fall in line. Clarke, one of my favorite old time clergyman, is quoted as follows.
“Weak, worthless, and wicked men, will thrust themselves into power; and, in the end, bring ruin upon themselves, and on the unhappy people over whom they preside.”
Rap sheet of a failed company reads as follows: turned over the company to unqualified employees, lawsuits, debt, loans, more loans, more loans, months of outstanding AP, IRS, EDD, Sales Tax, credit to all customers still unpaid, low bidder always, retentions outstanding, no time for God, certainly no time for scripture or fellowship at church, certainly no time for prayer unless it is an emergency situation and then a pleading to the Lord to save you by giving you exactly what you request, including approval on more credit, the house, credit cards, lines of credit, all the while making deals with cash advance, re-finance of the home, more credit cards, evading taxes, and lying to the bank. Basically dealing the devils handiwork. In these matters, Bob, the demon will certainly help.
Proverbs 25:26 Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain
is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.
A little note on stress and pressure I’ve learned. There is a difference. I believe stress happens when I don’t do things I know I should.
Pressure, on the other hand is something good.
Pressure to do the work I love to do and get it done right. We all prefer pressure over stress, right? One would think, however then why do we continue not to do, what we know we should?
Not everybody gets to own a company. Not everybody who has a company gets to keep it.
“Those who breach their fiduciary duty, cease to exist.”
A company fades away and the owner, is left with nothing more than the memory of being special, without being special anymore.” (Repeat)
Romans 7:25 For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.
I discovered, one night when I was very young, maybe eight years old, I realized how old people get, how old I could become. It was a simple arithmetic addition, how old I was, how old my dad was, how old my grandma was. It scared me, I calculated the year when I would be as old as my dad, and the year I would be as old as my grandma. What was I to do with my life? Time was my question, my new realization. God answered that question thirty years later.
Psalm 90:12-17 Teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Suddenly, a vacation, leaving Bob now to my business, feels like stepping off a moving train and 70 mph. I noticed scripture didn’t mention Jesus or the prophets taking a little “vaca” to Monaco, with the exception of very special moments, like this one.
Luke 5:16 English Standard Version (ESV)
16 But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.
The myth that someone else can do your job is just that – a myth. To rest is one thing, it’s brief, a moment to re-load, pray, allow the Holy Spirit to teach, guide and secure the next moment.
Psalm 40:8 I take joy in doing your will, my God,
for your instructions are written on my heart.”
Luke 16:10 “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.
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.”
Matthew 7:14 “But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
George Bernard Shaw said, and I quote; “Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it.”
Ezekiel 33:6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes someone’s life, that person’s life will be taken because of their sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for their blood.’
Get it? You are in charge. When the company fails and you have been given authority to use for the good and you don’t, it’s on you. Turning over valuable responsibilities, giving your company assets as low bidder, giving your books and daily financials over to a person who also is low bidder, leaving collections to Bob, possibly even bid work, working long hours at what you want to do, not what needs to be done?
Luke 34 “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap.
As I imagine the Gatekeeper, who stands before me as I live and breathe, the Gatekeeper asks, “who are you and are you responsible?” My answer must always be, “my name is Patrick, and I am responsible for what things I have done correctly and incorrectly, may God forgive me, teach me, forgive me and protect me and direct me.”
That’s honest. And I imagine in that case, I proceed to the next adventure. If, on the other hand, if I blame everybody else for everything, take credit for anything good, give no credit and complain about me being a victim of unfortunate circumstances regularly, well in that case, I’m not going anywhere good. Best get into my head, it’s time to grow up.
Hebrews 5:13-14 Anyone who lives on milk is still a baby and knows nothing about right teaching. But solid food is for those who are grown up. They are mature enough to know the difference between good and evil.
Chapter 43 Relinquishing Responsibility/Delegation 2026
Philippians 1:27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit,[a] striving together as one for the faith of the gospel
In closing let me ask you something. Did you ever consider paying anyone to take a vacation for you? Duh, of course you haven’t. That should tell you something. Stay on point, focused, a Watchman on the wall. My name is Patrick and I am responsible, not an easy thing to commit, but I must try every day to be a man, a man of God. May I go with God and God alone prevail in me, I pray the same for you. It ain’t easy, but neither was dying on the cross instead of a vacation and may I say, Jesus did not delegate His responsibilities of the cross, nor the teachings, nor the miracles. He did them himself and the apostles got to help even though Jesus didn’t need him. Well, He doesn’t need you or me, but like a loving father He takes us to work everyday and let’s us all pretend like we’re important. Let’s pretend with all our hearts, mind and soul, to give Him all. No different than your son or daughter who, although only eight or ten, will give you their utmost attention, love and commitment on any project they would be lucky enough to help dad. Remember that, remember that, remember that. Chapter 43 Relinquishing Responsibility slash Delegation 2026, it’s a bad idea, it doesn’t pay well and Bob is full of shenanigans. Amen.
