I got you!

I was unable to make it to a ministry opportunity recently. I was suffering from a physical ailment that had immobilized me. The event wasn't overly important, but I really wanted to "make an appearance". I knew also that we needed some sort of staff representation and to have a problem solver on hand should one be needed.

I contacted an intern who works with me in what we call the community development office of our organization. Our self assigned task is to make sure events and discipleship opportunities go as well as possible and that the stories and ideas of the ministry are spread to highest degree we can attain.

I sent him a text that morning: I can't make it to the event today. I need you to be there and help out.

His response via text:

Ok and i will show up and represent for our department because we're a team and since you can't make it, i will pick the ball up and take it all the way. I got you!

I realized for me, the discipleship opportunity was in the texting that morning.

Discipleship because I relied on someone else and someone else came to realize the importance and the integrity involved with the interdependence that we live in together as members of "our department".

I realized how much a 20 year old intern with no formal professional training or real stake other than a slightly-better-than-minimum-wage-part-time-job understood about team, community, love, and our cause.

I kind of also realized how rare it is to see from those of us who are highly trained and educated and have a full time career at stake in the cause.

I hope I can be better about making my colleagues feel that I will represent them in difficult times, and that ultimately: "I got you!"