This might seem like a hard question or at least a bit premature.
Do we want the great things that we’ve strived so hard to achieve to stop, to shrivel up and die when we move on?
But nobody does it better…
While I’m sure that it would make us feel important and proud to think that “no one else could do it like we did”, it actually shows that we’re inept at whatever we’ve been called to do. Our highest calling is to raise up those that will come after us to continue the work that we are beginning.
No matter what level of leadership we’re on, we shouldn’t be afraid to consider that someone else might be better (or at the very least) capable of maintaining our vision.
Success without a successor …is failure.
No matter who we are and what we’ve already accomplished, we’re supposed to find someone to run the next leg of the race after us and equip them with everything we’ve learned, felt and figured out, so far.
Why?
So that they can start out better prepared than we did. If they’ve been properly stretched by us at every turn, then they’ll have a head start to immediately hit the ground running and continue on with our dream where we leave off.
Going farther than us. Faster than us, because we have helped them start beyond where we had to start. We set them up to accomplish more than we did. Not concerned about our ‘legacy’ because THEY are our legacy.
Multiply yourself – NOW!
Elijah didn’t go out and find Elisha a couple weeks before he handed his ministry over to him (2 Kings) and say, “Hey, I need someone to run Elijah Evangelistic Ministries after I’m gone. You seem talented. Are you available?.”
Elijah identified Elisha well ahead of time so that he could mold and shape him into the man of God he needed to be. Elijah wasn’t JUST preserving his personal legacy after he died. He was creating DOUBLE his legacy to live on through another.
Pass it on.
Let’s ALL seek to identify a successor and judge OUR own success on how well we prepare them to surpass us. If we do this correctly, our legacy (like Elijah’s) will live beyond our current generation in the far greater achievements of the people that we’ve poured ourselves into. Who are you mentoring to be your successor?
14 comments
I enjoyed the statement you made in leadership meeting. That you have your children pray at meals in public, because you are in The Family Business. I have pondered on that statement, and truly believe that we should apply and align Gods Family Business to our life’s. God has given us the manual to train up generational legacies of leaders.Bible +prayer +believing= Faith to learn, to be teachable, mature spiritually, and then pass the Family Business to the next business partner. Truly blessed with you Pastor Nicole. Thanking the Lord for Family of all areas of life.
Cherry – Thanks 🙂 *blush*
I love being about my Father’s business. I remember as a teen being embarrassed to get gas at a gas station because I wasn’t really sure what I was doing.
I never want my kids to be embarrassed to pray in public because they don’t know what they are doing! Now, my kids will pray anytime, anywhere.
It is honestly a gift to me everytime they do it! #ProudMomma
I have used many of your blogs and m at of your podcast that get sent to my phone to help my best girlfriend , who is going through kinda the same thing I’m going through. Hers is a little different situation but I can still help her with the words you bring to me to heal her soul and not go back to back to the baggage in her future and mostly not to give up for God will reward us for sowing His woe and walking in the spirit. IF we don’t give up and grow weary in our waiting .
MaryAnn,
Sometimes for me helping someone else is the best way to help me 🙂 I LOVE your heart to reach out to your friend. I believe that God will bless you in it!
Pastor Nicole I have used your blogs and podcats to help my girlfriend she is going through a really difficult time she recently lost her mom this year. Everyday when she would cry I would read one of your blogs to her and she would smile. I told my friend that God has a plan for everybody. Now everyday when she is having a bad day she reads your blogs and she knows eveyrthing is going to be ok. At first she hated god but came around shortly after and now she has more faith than she has ever had. God loves all of his children just the same. My friend now knows that god didn’t take her mom he recieved her with open arms
Cheryl – Talk about encouragement, this is exactly what you have given me today! It helps to know that when you put your heart out there for everyone to see in something like a blog – that God is using it to help people know their true value and how much he actually loves them! Thank you thank you thank you for sharing with your friend and thank you thank you thank you for sharing with me!
This Blog Post is SO GOOD! One of my favorites so far. Thanks Pastor Nicole.
Miss Lucia – You are truly an encouraging angel sent from heaven 🙂
I love this, “Success without a successor …is failure”. God’s given vision is much more greater than us. It takes teams and several generations to fulfill it. Every thing God has accomplish through man has always been greater than a man.
Even our Lord said in John 14:12
12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.
Thank you Pastor Nicole for sharing this wisdom with us.
Omar – That verse fits perfectly here! Greater things are yet to come. Great, now I’m singing that in my head! 🙂
Mentoring? Training? Leaving a legacy? Those are big topics to consider. We are mothers, daughters, wives, grandmothers, friends and we can change the world through our actions, words and deeds. One act at a time, one voice, one minute at a time….one thing can lead to great things because you never know how that one thing could direct the path ahead of you or someone else. The most important thing we can do is be the best me we can be and along the way we will be changed, change others and train, mentor and leave a legacy to those around us and ourselves.
Angie –
What a terrific share! You sound like a blog writer yourself 🙂 keep sharing and encouraging others!
Powerful tools for successful leadership! Thank you so much for sharing Pastor Nicole!
Adrienne – I love when you share on the blog. Open up and let that wisdom flow!