Investing

I arrived early this morning at the church.  The purpose was twofold.  The first mission was to send one of my boys on a Royal Rangers outing to Wichita.  The other reason was simply to get some things done.  But, it is that first reason that is sticking out to me this morning.  I'm not sure how many boys went, but I do know they were excited!  It is going to be a day of games, racing pinewood derby cars, and stopping at the Golden Arches (the requirement of every road trip)!  I wish I could have gone, but it didn't work out.  The men that did go are hero's in my book.  Being willing to give a day to invest in the lives of their son, and the other boys that went is priceless.  I'm wrapping up Tony Dungy's latest book on the Mentor Leader.  There are some great thoughts in the book, and I would encourage you to read it because it is all about investing in people.  Jesus boiled life down to two things - loving God, and loving people.  Dungy gives 7 E's to enhancing peoples lives.  I'm going to do my best to make them a part of my life, and I invite you to join me!  Here they are:

• Engage - It's impossible to mentor from a distance. Without engagement, you cannot lead effectively.
• Educate - Workers who are new to a task cannot be empowered and elevated until they've been educated in what to to.
• Equip - Mentor leaders create an environment in which others can be productive and excel.
• Encourage - "Correction does much, but encouragement does more." -Goethe
• Energize -  "Without inspiration, the best powers of the mind are dormant. There is a tinder in us which needs to be quickened with sparks." -Johann Gottfried Von Herder
• Empower - As a mentor leader, you have a responsibility to engage, educate, equip, and encourage them first -- and at every appropriate point thereafter, as well. You can't just walk in and empower them. If they're not ready, you're only setting them up to fail.
• Elevate -  Raising up leaders is the truly self-less goal of every mentor leader, the culmination of focusing on others. To elevate your followers means to help them reach their God-given potential, even it means preparing them to replace you.

Let's invest in people - young and old, because God has invested in us!