I am in regular communication with a group of pastors from our area, getting together either through Zoom or in person at least once a week. We are constantly trying to become better pastors, strengthen our own churches, and reach out to help other pastors and churches in our area to invite them to join us in our efforts. Ours is a voluntary association, built on the realization that the work that we have been called to do, despite often conveying a sense of isolation, was never meant to be undertaken alone.
Recently, one of the members of the group shared a first draft of a communication that he wanted to send to a few churches in the region. One pastor responded with a few comments and suggested edits. I thought it was quite well written but suggested a minor modification. Over the course of the day, the other pastors on the email list provided their comments as well. By the end of the day, a solid communication had been polished and developed into a piece of a broader strategy that seems destined for a much higher success rate than the first draft that we had reviewed.
Proverbs 15:22 declares “Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.” I’m not saying that the first draft of that communication, or any subsequent revision that my fellow pastor may have come up with on his own might have failed, but his willingness to invite feedback from the other members of our group definitely seemed to promote a better outcome, in keeping with the spirit of Proverbs 15:22. Frankly, it is the sort of wisdom that should seem obvious, as indeed this recent exercise validated.
Of course, we often decide not to seek any counsel beyond our own. For those who live on an island, whether literally or metaphorically, it can easily become the default setting to approach many tasks by ourselves. It just seems more expedient to attack the project and get it completed, whereas allowing others to weigh in takes time. It also opens up the possibility that some constructive criticism might ensue, whether your ego is prepared for it or not. So, we content ourselves with the notion that our best is good enough and move on to the next thing, without much thought as to whether or not the end result really was the best that we could have produced.
Much of my work remains the sort that I must do on my own, but I do like the prospect that some of my efforts could be more productive. And frankly, I would hope that most of us share the general sentiment that if we are going to invest any of our most precious resource (time) into an endeavor, then we should want that time to produce not simply the best outcome that we are personally capable of, but the best outcome possible, period. To that end, I think I will try to establish a new habit of enlisting a few more counselors for some of my endeavors, with the expectation that collaboration will create a much stronger result than I would have produced on my own. If you aren’t already doing so, might you consider doing the same?
Peace and blessings – Pastor Aaron