³ Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. ⁴ Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, ⁵ so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

Romans 12:3-5

Dear God, I took a personality test nearly 30 years ago, and my wife and I still joke about it to this day. It came back with something like, “John does not see a reason to change the way he is doing things…John needs a lot of affirmations.” I told my wife, “Translation: John is confident but needs compliments. OR: John is arrogant, but the arrogance needs fed.” And I’ll admit there is something to that. I do tend to think I’m right and my way is the right way until I’m proven wrong. Now, I think I’m willing to be proven wrong. I’m approachable and willing to see someone else’s idea or point of view, but I won’t go down without a struggle.

Case in point, the nonprofit where I’ve worked over 20 years now is going through a facility expansion. I’m completely on board with it now, but when the idea first came up, I was very resistant. I was comfortable and things were going just fine as far as I was concerned. But some board members and a staff member had a vision for more. I wasn’t too stubborn about it. I heard their arguments. I helped us plot a path forward to examine if we needed expansion and what we’d use it for if we did, and through that process we came up with something really great. And you seem to have blessed the process. It’s going remarkably smoothly, including the fundraising. I’m grateful to you for so much, including this.

But my point is, I still need the reminder Paul gives here. I’ve been fairly successful in my job now, but I’m not perfect, and I make mistakes. I make them daily. My personality and abilities are an important part of the team, but they aren’t all of it. I need other people. I need their opinions that differ from mine. I need their talents. And I have some great talent around me. I’m grateful for my coworkers. My wife and I have embraced a line from the old TV show “The West Wing.” They are recruiting someone from a different political party to work for them and the chief of staff tells the prospective employee, “The President likes smart people who disagree with him.” I want to be that kind of person. But they don’t have to be what might be the traditional definition of “smart.” Maybe I’d add the word thoughtful. But everyone–EVERYONE–has something to offer if we let them contribute.

Father, help me to lead those around me today in the spirit of this passage. We need each other. I cannot be everything. Nor can anyone else in the office. And you know we have some specific needs regarding staffing. Please guide us to the person we need, and guide them to us. I love you. I worship you. I give you my flawed, sinful self and ask that you take this offering and do what you will with me.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen