Lent Devotional – Day 10

Attach Faithfully & Detach Gracefully

Detaching oneself from the position of power and privileges is difficult. Some struggle mentally and hence keep interfering or remain stuck with the sweet memories of the past. Others manipulate the system to stay in it longer. Very few are there who attach and detach well.

What is attachment? Some years ago, I supported hiring of a Presbyterian minister as a Senior Pastor of the Baptist Church but soon I began to regret. He never attached well. His family never joined the church and continued to remain critical of the Baptist. He neither became part of the church nor owned the ministry fully. When he was offered better position by a Presbyterian Church, he left within two years. What a sad witness!

What is detachment? Some deacons wanted to pray for their Senior Pastor to die soon. Horrified by their question, I asked why? They told me, “Our founding Pastor is in his 80s and he can barely walk. He controls everything and he refuses to retire. We respect him for his past sacrifice and leadership, but we are stuck with him.” I laughed and referred them to Psalms 109:8, “May his days be few; May others take his place of leadership.”

The scenario of the current debate regarding the dark future of young potential leaders in the political party such as INC (Indian National Congress), is unfortunately true even for churches and Christian organizations. Most older leaders are insecure and unwilling to relinquish position of power and authority. They compromise even their integrity to stay in position and if possible, die with it.

Not so was the case of Nehemiah. He attached and detached well as a leader. As soon as the walls and gates were repaired in 52 days, he appointed Hanani, Hananiah and Ezra to take over (Nehemiah 7:2; 8:1-2). He returned from governorship to the cupbearer’s job: “But while all this was going on, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes King of Babylon I had returned to the king” (Nehemiah 13:6).

Dr. A. K. Lama

Prayer: “Dear Lord, we pray for our leaders that they will be humble servants. That they will attach well to their work and they will also detach well to groom and facilitate others and depart with a good testimony. Amen!”