Service: A One Way Street?

We all enjoy those occasions when someone does a little extra for us.  I appreciate it when my wife brings me a glass of water from the kitchen just because she was getting one for herself and she knew I would like one too.

Most of us even look for opportunities to bless others with random acts of kindness.  If I am making popcorn for movie night, I will make enough for the rest of family without any of them having to ask.

We also know a few “characters” in our lives who don’t fit either of these models.  They don’t look for opportunities to serve others, and they try to manipulate the situation to compel others to serve them.  Service to a “character” is a One Way Street.  “Characters” often employ an indirect approach to get what they want.

“What are you making for breakfast? … Ok, I guess that will work for me too.”

“What are you making yourself for lunch?... That sounds good.  I will have some of that too.”

“Would you like some yogurt? … Bring me one too since you’re getting yourself one.”

“No I don’t want that but, you can bring me some water since you are already by the fridge.”

These sound a lot like the Jeff Foxworthy line “Sensuous was up, get me a….”

We are slowly working on a cure for our “character”.  Consider this antidote.

“What are you making yourself for lunch?”

“I am making soup.  What are you making for yourself?”

“Oh, that’s not the answer I was looking for.”

“I guess you should have asked a better question.”

Do you recognize a “character” in your life?  I don’t believe these “characters” are intentionally rude or inconsiderate.  They may simply lack the proper planning tools to consider service to others as part of their walk through life.

Mark 10:45:  “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

• What is Your Plan? -

Post Script: Experienced another behavior modification following my "characters'" review of this blog prior to posting. Service is turning into a two way street.

“That’s not my problem”

In John G. Miller’s book, QBQ!, The Question behind the Question, the message is very clear.  The message is personal accountability.  Personal accountability is, in part, the ability to use “I” statements that indicate your acceptance of responsibility for the outcome in a given situation.

“I messed that up.”  

“I didn’t complete my assignment on time.”

“I failed to treat you with respect.”

A person with a lack of personal accountability will try to deflect responsibility and place blame onto someone else.

“They didn’t do their job.”

“She was suppose to remind me.”

“He didn’t tell me about the next task.”

Personal accountability plays a significant role in defining the problem for any given plan implementation.  If the person identifying the problem lacks personal accountability, he will most certainly identify the wrong problem.  There is a clear link between personal accountability and incorrectly identifying the problem.  Let’s walk through a “hypothetical” situation.

A high school junior is told by his teacher that he is almost finished with the school year.  He looks at the large amount of remaining work on his schedule and concludes that the “problem” is that his teacher obviously lied to him.  There is way too much work to be almost done with the school year.  This junior did not ask the question behind the question.  

The real “problem” was his lack of output or willingness to put in the hard work.  A better response from the junior would have been, “I have a lot of work to do.  I better get to work.”

I think we all need to take responsibility for our output and “get to work”.

2 Thessalonians 3:10 “For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” “

- What is your plan? -