Devotional, (Date)

!!!!
Each week you will be able to read a devotional
thought which we hope you will find
enjoyable and comforting
as well as
insightful and challenging.

The story is told of a Japanese company and an
American company who decided to have a canoe
race on the Missouri river. Both teams practiced long and hard to reach their peak performance before the race.

On the big day the Japanese won by a mile.

Afterwards, the American team became very
discouraged and morally depressed. The American management decided that the reason for the crushing defeat had to be found. A "measurement team," made up of senior management was formed. They would investigate and recommend appropriate action.

Their conclusion was that the Japanese had eight
people rowing and one person steering, while the
Americans had one person rowing and eight people steering. So American management hired a consulting company and paid them incredible amounts of money. They advised that too many people were steering the boat and not enough people were rowing.

To prevent losing to the Japanese again next year,
the rowing team's management structure was totally reorganized to four steering supervisors, three area steering superintendents and one assistant superintendent steering manager. They also implemented a new performance system that would give the one person rowing the boat greater incentive to work harder. It was called the "Rowing Team Quality First Program," with meetings, dinners and free pens for the rower: "We must give the rower empowerment and enrichments through this quality program."

The next year the Japanese won by 2 miles.

Humiliated, the American management laid off the rower for poor performance, halted development of a new canoe, sold the paddles, and canceled all capital investments for new equipment. Then they gave a High Performance Award to the steering managers and distributed the money saved as bonuses to the senior executives.

Perhaps you've seen the same thing happen at
work -- or in the church. We seem to have lots of
people who want to be managers (leaders), but not so many who want to do the work. And far too often, we have seen committees appointed to decide what to do when what needed to happen was for someone just to get out there and do it.

"But Jesus called them to Himself and said, 'You
know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave -- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.' "
(Matt 20:25-28)

May you follow in the footsteps of Jesus as you search for ways to be
a servant today.

Have a great week!

In Jesus' name, Amen.

This weeks thought and comments comes from Thought-for-the-day, a daily devotional which you can receive daily on line by subscribing at:

or send an E-mail to:

thought-for-the-day@eGroups.com

It is created by Alan Smith,
Boone Church of Christ,
Boone, NC