Initiation
“Now that I have gone through my initiation, I am ready for anything, anywhere.”
- Apostle Paul
Our tribe is relatively small compared to some others. While our leaders represent thousands of employees, they are only several dozen strong. Small allows for some great advantages. We know all of them very well and they know each other similarly.
We celebrate their successes.
We rally aggressively in their times of trial.
Well, most of the time. Our ability to help someone is conditional to several crucial things:
them being honest and transparent about their situation
them being vulnerable and humble
them being open to suggestions and coaching
them being incredibly courageous
One of our tribe members grew a great team, got clear on who they were and what they believed, crafted a transcendent vision, created a strong meeting and execution structure, and designed a future organizational structure that had them hiring the right folks and replacing some others. They got really clear on their messaging and their business potential. They had begun to diversify their business away from a single source that had represented the majority of their business for decades.
The owner was enjoying much greater margin. He did everything we encouraged and so much more. His team was running the business and requiring far less of his time. He established margin days to work strategically on the business, wrote a book, and was investing his increased margin by coaching others down the same roadmap of business principles and was planning for greater ministry impact in his community and across the globe.
And then the bottom appeared to have fallen out. The one big client announced they would be doing things differently and that their share of that pie might be significantly altered.
He did something so rare. So uncommon. So courageous.
He raised his hand and asked for help.
A few weeks ago, we assembled some wise counsel around a conference room table. World-class counsel. Accountancy, business strategy, solution-solving ability, and real-world experience in a similar business. We asked for financials and posited a battery of questions.
It was a table set by the Father and out of his grandest intentions.
It was beautiful.
It was uncommon.
It was holy.
We consecrated the entire proceeding.
Invited God to guide all that counsel, wisdom, and experience.
Asked for His divine interpretation and direction.
And we dove in.
The business owner said that he felt like he was wearing one of those hospital gowns where he was uncomfortably exposed in the back.
We established clear action items and next steps. The situation felt less dire and actually hopeful. He told me that he felt encouraged, cared for, and deeply affirmed. He said the table was set well for him to feel comfortable and very honest in the meeting.
We were experiencing His Kingdom come and His will be done.
Maybe more than anything, he knows that he is not alone. He has God and a tribe around him. He can overcome any obstacle no matter what comes. He has gone through an initiation of sorts and he is now ready for anything, anywhere.
Consider
What do you do when you encounter a great trial?
Do you raise a hand and ask for help or would you even accept it if offered?
When you turn to your left and your right, who do you find there?
Are you emerging through your trials more confident for the next one?