In a multitude of people is the glory of a king,
but without people a prince is ruined.
Proverbs 14:28
I was hit by this particular verse today. In the light of all that I’ve been doing, I’ve seen a perspective of my own actions that entails that I have much to learn – that is, that I’ve been operating as an island all this time. All my talk of self-sufficiency, and excusing it by saying that I prioritize others by prioritizing myself, just as I prioritize myself to prioritize others? Well, sure, that’s all there, and I still stand by these principles, but I was still impacted by the words of that verse…
It’s as if I’m saying that this prince is in the road to ruin. Or maybe that’s putting it a little too harsh. I could involve more people.
It’s also no accident that I wrote this last night:
Add Value!
Add value, I said. I want to add value to others.
But I suppose, now that I think about it, it’s really me adding value to myself by adding value to others. I mean, if I’m being honest with you and myself.
But no matter what intentions behind it, adding value? It needs a catalyst. It needs to start somewhere. And it starts with me adding value to others.
And actually, it doesn’t begin with me adding to others – No, for me, and for everyone in the body of Christ, all started with Christ loving us, by losing all His value that He would add value; In fact, it’s not merely an exchange or transfer, – We died with Christ, and as Christ rose from the dead and walked out of the grave, so we came alive as new creations. It’s a union to a demolition leading to a renovation – no, a re-CREATION.
‘A union to a demolition …to a renovation’. That only tells me that there’s no adding of value without taking value away; or, at the very least, making space for value before the actual, well, adding. And it is Biblical, I suppose; there’s that one verse whose reference escapes me, which states that a seed dies before it grows. Wait:
Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
John 12:24
Taking all this in and I have to say, you’re only adding value if you’re losing value. When you look at it that way, you can say that you’re entrusting your value to others.
And so with that in mind, let me just share some more of what I wrote last night:
Encourage
Equip
Empower
I wrote these with the Junior and Senior High kids in mind. And, well, my congregation as well. Long story short, I want them battle ready. Before I have us into fellowship and discipleship, and just so they’re that much more capable on their own in the world they’re involved in, and in the world they have influence over, yes, I want them standing on their own.
I’d like to think that all my listening and watching to Ray Mears while I would take videos of my extra-long Iron Wolf workouts (I watch his bushcraft and survival videos because I have a significantly lower chance of getting my videos copyright-checked and tagged) – well, that has an impact in what I’m saying now. See, I strongly agree with what he had to share – “Knowledge is the key to survival, the real beauty of that is that it doesn’t weigh anything.”
I wanted – well, still want – my team and my congregation, and the kids who take the time to listen to me; I want all of them to be battle-ready, able to scrap without weapons, able to stand on their own, able to survive even without tools. I want to add value to them in this season by getting them battle-ready; Encouraged and empowered (with direction, a mission and a vision), and equipped (with knowledge). I thought to have both words ‘encourage’ and ’empower’, but now that I think about it, it feels like I could combine them into one. I only went for both words in as my brain operates on alliteration, apparently.
But anyway, right. By equipping with knowledge and empowering with direction, I add value. It’s not without its costs to me, but everybody still wins – I have others consider my own knowledge and direction to add to their own, while in the process making space in my own mind to clarify the knowledge and direction that I have for myself – sort of like how you store files on external drives to make space for more data. There’s a loss (that’s really gain), and everyone who listens gains.
Let me end with the final words on that list:
Return
Resonate
Reciprocate
These words came into mind when I thought about the people who I actually call my congregation, or my team. They return – they keep coming back, because they apparently take some value out of what we give.
They resonate – I don’t know the precise definition of this word but it somehow felt right to throw into the alliteration; It’s another way to say that they appreciate what’s being shared – again, they take value out of what is given.
They reciprocate – The kids come to me after I share to them. One absolutely must show me his notes for review. One wants to shoot the breeze and just, I don’t know, practice his english with me, I guess. I’m a little(?) proud to announce that I’ve actually had people thinking that I was worthy of blessing their car. That was last week Sunday – Easter Sunday, actually – and just a couple of days ago a friend also asked me to bless his camera and related gear. Should I need to remind myself of if I actually give value, I go back to how these folks reciprocate.
At the beginning of this article I was thinking, I needed to get all this down, because I’m going to be listening to Pastor Joedy in a bit, and I wanted all these thoughts down in writing and posted before I went out there and transcribed more of the value he has to share to us. And it seems this paid off. I’m thankful to Ann for bearing with me and understanding me and entrusting me with some time to ponder.
It seems I have the direction to add value, and I have an actual method in mind (empower and equip), together with checks and balances (do they return, resonate, and reciprocate?).
I’m glad I have all this down. It’s going to marinate as I do other things. Thank You, Lord.
Until the next post, God bless you.
JB's Personal Brain Defragmenter 
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