Scaling Leadership with Biblical WisdomSample

Offer Life Your Leftovers

Do you ever find yourself hoping or praying for more time in the day? There’s just too much to accomplish and too little time. You grind and grind, and when the grind wears you out, you realize that no matter what you do, it’s never enough. I could offer example after example, but my guess is you get it, and you can relate. It’s not just you. It’s a common leadership and life phenomenon. There’s apparently never enough.

I have an amazing leader on my team who brings this up regularly. Let's call him Trent. He regularly says he is bringing 120-150% to his efforts and projects. Trent says he “gives it all he has.” As a leader, I like it when my team members are fully engaged and bringing their best. On the other hand, we must realize how important our words are, the narratives they create, and the mindsets they build. There’s no such thing as bringing more than 100%. It’s practically impossible, so let’s not use that language. 

The other day this concept led to a “radical candor” conversation. I wanted to bring some clarity to the lens we need to approach life and work from, which includes our energy and effort. That for my team member to offer the kind of effort he’s been giving is distorted and needs to be adjusted. I ultimately challenged Trent to offer life his leftovers. 

Yes, you read that right. I recommend and believe it’s a requirement to scale our leadership appropriately by offering life our leftovers! I know this is countercultural to everything we’re taught and everything the world throws at us, but hear me out. If life gets our leftovers, that’s only because God gets our first and our best. Take time to really let this resonate within your mind and soul. Our first and our best shouldn’t go to our earthly relationships, workout regimens, careers, or finances. Our first and our best should go to our relationship with God. Period.

All throughout the Bible, we read about God’s blessing and favor upon us. But we forget that God is a jealous God who desires a deep relationship with us. This concept literally jumped off the screen at me when I read Romans, chapter 12. Paul challenged the Romans to “offer their bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God,” telling them that this is their “true and proper worship.” Every part of us is to be brought as an offering to God. This is our worship to Him. God should be first in our lives and getting our absolute best. 

Seriously examine your day. Do you wake up early to get your workout in but have little room in your day for God? Are your priorities at work overshadowing God? Is it relational strain in your life that prevents you from spending time with God? No matter what it is, I challenge you to go before God, giving Him your absolute first and best so that He can multiply and distribute your leftovers. 

Here’s what I know for sure: If you bring your first and best to him, God will take your leftovers and bless them in ways you can not fully comprehend. The rat race we find ourselves in will only be solved with more of God, not more of us. Take a fresh look at your priorities today.

God, as I dive into Your Word today, allow me the ability to see where my agenda, my priorities, and my desires aren’t in line with Your will. Grant me Your grace and favor now, Lord, to see as You see, and for Your Word to penetrate my heart and spirit.