Passing the Baton

Had supper with a friend who is changing jobs, a good thing for him. In our conversation we talked about the things he'd accomplished and the things he wished he'd accomplished, and I shared the same with him. Then he said something that maybe isn't new, but still was so appropriate to his situation, and, I thought, to the many ministers who are moving to new appointments this time of year.

He said that when he worked in Child Protective Services the analogy they frequently used was the "passing of the baton." When the baton (the child, the job, the congregation, whatever) comes to you, you run the race the best you can. Then you focus on making a good transfer to the next person and you let go of it. That baton is no longer yours to carry and if you try to hold on to it, the next person will get no where with it.

I pray that there won't be any dropped batons in the transfers made this summer. May those moving trust God as they let go. Besides, another "baton" will quickly be coming your way.