One of my favorite Old Testament characters is Daniel. There are so many amazing leadership lessons to glean from his life, and nearly all of them can apply to the world of a church tech artist.
I was reminded recently of Daniel 2, which tells the story of how a young Daniel interpreted a dream that had alarmed King Nebuchadnezzar.
The King had first insisted that his wise men and seers tell him the dream he had and then interpret it, and when they insisted that doing such a thing was impossible, Nebuchadnezzar decreed that all the nation’s wise men (which included Daniel and some of his friends among the Jewish exiles) be executed.
I’m convinced that there are others on our ministry teams who would gladly and willingly be open to our suggestions and feedback if we simply packaged things differently.
Hearing about the impending death sentence, Daniel resolved to pray for a solution. He approached the Babylonian leaders with “wisdom and tact” (Dan. 2:14 NIV) and asked respectfully if he could have time to pray and seek God for counsel.
The King acquiesced, God spoke to Daniel, the young man interpreted the dream, God was honored, and Daniel was blessed with an incredible amount of influence and responsibility.
This is just one of the multiple times in the book of Daniel where he was presented with a difficult circumstance, handled it incredibly well, and saw his personal level of influence and authority increase dramatically as a result.
I think this is a critical lesson for us as technicians. Sometimes it’s not just about whether or not we solve a problem. It can be more about *how* we solve that problem.
I don’t imagine there’s a problem with many of us having the wisdom to solve problems.
Wisdom is essentially applied knowledge, and I’m confident that through years of experience, we have likely gleaned troves of knowledge about our industry, best practices, problem-solving, workflow, etc., and are quite skilled in applying that knowledge in a practical way to help ourselves and our teams be successful.
However, I wonder how often we package that wisdom with tact, as Daniel did.
... truth without grace is mean, but grace without truth (all fluff and no substance) is meaningless.
Earlier in the book, we see this shown in another way when Daniel and other young exiles were being integrated into the King’s service and enrolled in a training program.
In Daniel 1:8 (NIV), we see that “Daniel resolved” what he wasn’t willing to do, and “asked the chief official for permission” to do something different.
He wasn’t offensive, sarcastic, condescending, or tactless, which, honestly, many of us might struggle with from time to time. Sometimes it becomes really easy to be blunt and point out the black and white of why we are right and others are wrong, often creating enemies or naysayers during the process.
But instead of doing those things, Daniel approached the matter politely with those in authority.
While he was bold in his convictions and possessed the courage to stand up for them, he made sure to show respect for the process and honor for those in authority, which ultimately helped him gain favor.
Many times, I’m convinced that there are others on our ministry teams who would gladly and willingly be open to our suggestions and feedback if we simply packaged things differently. Perhaps we could come across as more of a partner and less of an adversary, or perhaps we could show more consideration or acceptance of others’ vision instead of seeming dismissive.
I can grow my influence and build bridges for the future when my conversations are grace-filled, others-focused, and tactful.
Like in Daniel 2, maybe there would be an outcome that shone favorably on us if we approached others with wisdom and tact and just politely asked some questions.
This is a tactic Jesus employed so skillfully during his ministry.
John 1 twice mentions that Christ came to share his message with grace and truth. The truth was critical because people needed to know their black and white, either-or options of eternal life or eternal condemnation. There was no avoiding the fact that they would have to make a choice for their path.
But it wasn’t an in-your-face, aggressive, turn-or-burn campaign. It was a personalized, grace-filled message that was layered with consideration for the other person involved. Because they mattered as a person, Jesus knew how to add value to them and affirm their worth, while also sharing the importance and weightiness of the truth he possessed.
I’ve heard it said that truth without grace is mean, but grace without truth (all fluff and no substance) is meaningless.
When I’m faced with a difficult situation at work, or with a problem to solve, or a challenge to navigate, how do I respond?
If a ministry needs guidance on something, do I fire off harsh critiques or blunt feedback, eager to share the “truth” and “wisdom” they need?
Or am I able to take a deep breath and package things with a dose of grace and tact so they can see me as a supporter and teammate who cares about them and their ministry?
I know both sides from personal experience.
I learned how quickly I can lose influence and damage relationships by fully living on the informational side of the equation.
But I also have seen how well I can grow my influence and build bridges for the future when my conversations are grace-filled, others-focused, and tactful.
Few things in ministry are easy, and when we feel stressed out and inundated with seemingly silly (or aggravating) requests from others, it can be a difficult weight to bear.
Handling those challenges the right way is critical if we desire to be like Daniel and grow in our influence.
