A leader’s time is always in high demand. There’s a constant pull to give a few minutes here, an hour or two there, and the to-do list is never done. Because of this constant tug and pull, certain priorities can quickly fall to the bottom of the list. We know they’re important, but they just don’t scream with the same level of urgency as so many other issues.
When these priorities slip out of focus, the effects may not feel immediate, but in time, they will certainly undermine the leader. While the list may be varied, one priority is particularly easy to put off. It rarely feels urgent…until the wheels start to come off. What is it? Investing in your time.
Jesus’ time was in high demand. As word of his miracles spread, people began to follow him, often by the thousands. Pulling away with his team wasn’t easy, but Jesus kept this priority in focus because he understood the long-term ramifications if He didn’t. Failure to invest in his team now would mean failure to launch the church later.
One particular example of Jesus pulling away with his team stands out in the Gospel of Mark. “Leaving that region, they traveled through Galilee. Jesus didn’t want anyone to know he was there, for he wanted to spend more time with his disciples and teach them” (Mark 9:30-31a). From these two verses we discover a framework for how Jesus invested in His team.
1. Protected Privacy – Verse 30 says, “Jesus didn’t want anyone to know he was there.” As his popularity increased, Jesus had to protect any privacy he could get with his disciples. The same will be true as your leadership responsibilities increase. The constant pull for your time will make it harder to carve out time for your team. The best way to do this is to schedule it as a regular meeting and a required meeting. In other words, make it predictably consistent (same day and time each week), and be sure your team knows that this time together is not optional.
2. Proximity and Consistency – Why did Jesus not want anyone to know he was there? Because “he wanted to spend more time with his disciples.” Notice two things from this verse: first, Jesus wanted to spend “more” time. This wasn’t the first time and it wouldn’t be the last time. Jesus was deliberate about the quantity of time He was investing in His core team. And second, this time was spent “with” his disciples. In other words, this was growth opportunity was relationally driven. Simply put, Jesus practiced proximity and consistency. The same needs to happen with our teams today. If we’re going to make the greatest impact, we need proximity and consistency…closeness to our team and consistency in our investment. Even with social distancing measures in place during COVID-19, we can practice proximity and consistency with a convenient online video platform.
3. Purposeful Development – Finally, the time Jesus spent developing His team was purposeful. He wanted to be with his disciples so He could “teach them.” Jesus had important things to share with his team, whether it was debriefing after an intense time of ministry, and teaching them what Kingdom-life looked like. In fact, if you continue reading this passage, Jesus teaches his disciples about the importance of servant-leadership. In verse 35 He said, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.” How you are you being purposeful in the development of your team? Are you teaching them, reading books together, and discussing life and leadership lessons?
Jesus’ framework for investing in his team was simple, but it was not automatic. He had to make a deliberate choice to develop those around Him, and so will you. Relationships are never efficient, which means we have to intentionally and deliberately invest in them. What does that look like for you today?
