An Empowering Phrase

I may set a record for short posts. Maybe Noah and Jonathan are watching and will make notes (of course, I’m only kidding…they say more because they have more quality things to say!).

There’s  a phrase I’ve learned over the course of my years in Student Ministry. It’s a very difficult phrase to use. It seems like it would be a phrase that restricts, a phrase that causes a loss in credibility…but I have not found that to be the case. As a matter of fact, the phrase, to me, seems to be the exact opposite. I’ve found it frees me. I’ve found it shows people that I’m human, and I care too much to fake my way through ministry. I’ve found that I don’t lose credibility, but rather gain it as a result.

Are you ready for the phrase? Here it is:

“I don’t know.”

Trying it for me. Say it out loud. “I…don’t…know.”

Because, face it; you don’t Neither do I. Neither does anyone else. No matter how many years you do this, you never become the expert. You never see everything. You never figure it ALL out. However, like I tell my staff all the time, “The answer is in the room.” If you’re willing to say, “I don’t know,” you empower those who DO know to speak into your life and sharpen your skill set.

So the next time you can’t figure out how to deal with that difficult student, or what kind of lighting equipment to buy, or the best way to raise funds for a particular event, or how to help a parent deal with a sticky situation, hold your head up, square your shoulders, and just admit: I don’t know. Trust me…you’ll feel better!