“Let your yes mean yes, and your no mean no. Anything more than this comes from the evil one.” Matthew 5:37 (CEB)
We tend to forget about our “long-term yes’s” in terms of commitments we make. It can seem like a “one time yes” in the moment, but when we commit to saying yes to a layered ” Yes”, we need to say yes, until the end.
For example, when becoming a youth leader or small group leader to our pastors, our leaders say yes to many things in that one simple yes. When our leaders say yes, they are committed to coming to Wednesday night programming, leading a small group that night, coming to staff meetings once a month, attending youth camp, and investing in their students outside our programming days. When we sit down with someone interested in being a volunteer youth leader, they hear all of this, and after prayerful consideration, say yes or no to coming on staff. (you insert what you require of your volunteer staff. And it could be different roles that require different commitments)
When we say yes the first time, we say yes to our leader. When we commit to being on volunteer staff or working at a job for someone, we commit to that leader. We buy into our leader, not throwing them under the bus, inside and outside of our ministry or job. We follow our leader, with obedience and without question. (as long as it’s not morally wrong, harming someone, biblically wrong, or illegal of course) There may be some scenarios where you begin to not follow the leader’s vision, but that’s when you reevaluate where you’re at and if you want to stay under that leader. I believe those are case-by-case scenarios and some that may need to be talked out with that leader or someone you trust as to whether it’s something you can stick out or need to leave.
Be bought in on the leader and on the ministry or job. Understand the vision and the commitment level. Be prayerful about your decisions to commit, before you make that longevity yes.
Yes, things come up, yes life throws us curve balls, and sometimes we can’t always keep our commitments. That’s when the other half of that scripture comes in… “and let our no’s be no’s.” Communicate those things to your leader. That’s definitely something to be consistent in – communication. Communicate your yes’s and your no’s. As a leader, it’s easier for me to understand why you say no to something when I understand the why behind it.
In the end, be committed to your longevity yes to your leader or boss. Be on board with them by praying for them and the ministry, communicating with them and being ready with whatever curve ball life throws your way.
Becca Ebenhoch
Guest Blogger
Becca has done youth ministry in various places across the US and is currently doing youth ministry in Modesto, CA.
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