For the vast majority of us, the Christmas season can often be simultaneously the very best and worst time of the year. On the one hand, it’s the season when we’re given the freedom, creative bandwidth and resources to shine more brightly than any other time of the year. Unfortunately those opportunities are often accompanied by increased pressure to create spectacles that will live on in the memory and heart for months and years to come. So where does that pressure come from?
To be certain, executive leadership can sometimes exert that kind of pressure, but in my experience people in those positions often don’t have the first idea of how to the actually accomplish that.
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.” - I Corinthians 13:4
The real pressure comes from within us. While moderate pressure can sometimes be a good thing, it can also be a corrosive force that stymies our creativity and robs from us the joy from our work. During the Christmas season we often put pressure on ourselves to be “better,” do “better.” But better than what? It we’re not careful the corrosive force of envy can wreck this upcoming Christmas season. We can fall into the trap of comparison, and it’s often the source of the under-the-service misery we wrestle again.
The Bible warns of this in the book of James (3:14) - “But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such ‘wisdom’ does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual…” If we’re going to free ourselves from the dangers of envy, the first step will be to recognize the comparison traps we’re most likely to fall into. Here are a few that I’ve found myself to be most susceptible to:
Comparing Our... Church to Other Churches
You’ll know you’ve fallen into this trap when you start comparing things like your staff size, auditorium seating, audio consoles and lighting instruments to those of other churches. It’s easy to believe that if we just had a little more we’d have what we need to succeed, and this is especially true in Tech ministry. This Christmas let’s break this comparison trap by celebrating our opportunities rather than focusing on our limitations.
Comparing Our...Production to Other Productions
Another easy trap arises when we cross the line from being inspired by other church and live entertainment productions into concluding that our own expressions don’t measure up. This season let’s avoid this trap by drawing a clear line between the ambition of the production planning stage and the joy and camaraderie of the actual execution stage.
Comparing Our...Team to Other Creative Teams
Drawing negative comparisons between other creative teams and the team we’re a part of is one of the most dangerous traps we can fall into, as the damage from this trap can last for month and even years beyond a single ministry season. It’s an insidious trap, and one we need to carefully guard against when the spotlight is on. We must avoid this trap by deliberately and intentionally celebrating the people we rub shoulder with creatively.
Comparing Our... Plans to Previous Plans
Probably the easiest trap for us to fall into during the Christmas season is the trap of negatively comparing this year’s plan to previous year’s triumphs. It’s an easy trap to fall into because it appeals to our egos, and because our memories can often take on a rose-colored hue. Let’s avoid this trap by choosing to believe that even if this year’s holiday worship experiences look and feel differently, they may well be even more moving and effective.
So this year let’s make a choice to lean into the joy of what we’re blessed to be doing, and embrace the opportunity to reach more people than ever before with the good news of Christmas. And just as importantly, let’s lead our teams into deeper impact and closer relationships by heading off the comparison traps before the even get a toehold.
