A Burden of Purpose

“Find a purpose in life so big it will challenge every capacity to be at your best.”

~ David O. McKay

One day a merchant was driving his donkey towards home from the seashore with a heavy and burdensome load of salt.

They came upon a river they had crossed many times without any incident. However, this time the donkey accidentally slipped half way across the river and fell.

By the time the merchant had gotten his donkey to his feet much of the salt had dissolved away. Having his burden much lighter, the donkey was very happy for the rest of the journey.

The next day the merchant went for another load of salt. The donkey, having a good memory and had not forgotten how easy his journey was the day before.

When he got about half way across the river again he purposefully fell into the water and was once more able to rid himself of most of his burden.

This angered the merchant. He immediately turned and drove the donkey back to the seashore and loaded him with two big baskets of sponges for the journey home.

Once more, half way across the river the donkey tumbled over hoping to lighten his load. This time however, once he had scrambled to his feet, a disconsolate donkey dragged himself home under a load ten times the weight of his other loads.

Like the donkey, some people just don’t like their job. They see their employment as something they HAVE to do, as opposed to something they want to do. They often find ways to cut corners, regardless of how it affects the team or company they work for.

Leaders have an obligation to instill a mission and drive a team purpose with those they lead. Doing so creates a greater commitment to the team. Do your team and/or organization understand their purpose? Does each member understand their value in the success of that purpose?

To the donkey, the purpose was simply to do as he was told so he didn’t get scolded or beaten. He didn’t understand that to the merchant the purpose was to provide his family enough income to live for a year, which in turn provided the donkey food and shelter. He also didn’t foresee the consequences of his actions.

The team purpose should be defined and communicated. If it isn’t, team members will define it themselves to the possible detriment of the team or organization.

Every employee of every team needs to know they are part of something magnificent and grand. They need something big to aspire to.

What are you driving your team to do? Do you know? If the purpose of your organization, small group, family, church, and community were clearly communicated, do you think your success would improve? Do you think your members could achieve things no one thought possible? I do.

If we clearly and concisely communicate the value and purpose each team member provides and we tie that to the overarching purpose for our team, I think we can accomplish amazing things. Our organizations would prosper. Individuals will excel and our community will be better off because of it!

I'm looking forward to your success.


* This article was originally printed in the Sunday, July 27, 2014 issue of The Chronicle's "Planting Seeds" column.

Is Your Flaw Infallible?

“We succeed in enterprises which demand the positive qualities we possess, but we excel in those which can also make use of our defects.”

~ Alexis De Tocqueville

There is a story told of an old and weathered water bearer who had hung two large pots on each end of a long pole that he carried across his neck to deliver water each day.

One pot had a fairly large crack and only delivered a small portion of water with each daily trip – about half a pot. The other was perfect and always delivered a full portion.

For two years the bearer only delivered one and a half pots of water to his house each day.

The perfect pot felt it had reason to brag in its accomplishments in doing exactly what it was made to do.

The poor cracked pot felt ashamed that it was only able to accomplish half of what it had been created to do.

After two years of feeling ashamed, the cracked pot mustered up the courage to talk to the water bearer. He said, “I am ashamed of myself. Because of this crack in my side I cause water to leak out all the way back to your house.”

The water bearer said in response to the pot, "Yes, but did you notice the flowers all the way down the side of your path? That’s because I have always known about your flaw, and one day I planted flower seeds all along the side of your path. Every day when we walk back you’ve watered them.

And now for two years you have provided beautiful flowers that I have been able to pick and decorate my table with.”

He said, “Without you being just the way you are, I wouldn’t have this beauty along this path or to grace my house.”

Each of us is uniquely and inerrantly made. We have beendesigned with a specific purpose in mind. Each freckle is in the right place. Each eye the right color. Each bit of knowledge learned at just the right time.

Have you ever thought what life would be like if each of us were good at exactly the same thing?

Have you ever thought of what our community would be like if we all thought the same? If we all agreed on the same topics? If we all shopped the same? Walmart would be nuts!

I am personally thankful we are all unique! Each of us has been given and blessed with a unique set of gifts and talents. Together we can do extraordinary things for our community. Through our diversity, we each see obstacles and opportunities through different looking glasses. Each bringing an interesting perspective to our future and where we want to go as a community.

I hope that you are embracing the diversity of your community, those you work with, those in your small groups, and the ones you interact with regularly. I hope you are blessed by their flaws and perhaps the flaws of others help you use your talents in new and interesting ways. I am excited for what our future holds.

Ken Blanchard once said “None of us is as smart as all of us.” I know that I am personally better because of those I surround myself with, flaws and all. I hope they feel the same. Surround yourself with good people. Look past their flaws and cling to their strengths and how they strengthen you. I know that if you do, our community will be that much better off because of it!

* This article was originally printed in the Sunday, July 6, 2014 issue of The Chronicle's "Planting Seeds" column.