Thoughts from Paul Hill

One of my current mentors is my 4 year-old grandson, James. I tell you, if you want to see the world differently and live at a different pace hang out with a four-year-old.  He knows a lot about coloring, which means he also knows a lot about leadership. (Although he can’t articulate it yet, his art speaks for him.) At Sunday church he was coloring a picture of the Nativity. Here’s the whispered conversation:

Papa (me): Can you color the donkey?
James: It’s not a donkey.
Papa: Yeah it is.
James: No it’s not.
Papa: So what is it?
James: (Silence, and begins to color furiously.)
(After a short span…)
James: Papa look.
Papa: It’s blue!
James: And Yellow.
Papa: Why did you pick those colors?
James: (Looks at me as if I don’t understand anything, and then goes on and colors the cow green.)

Here’s my take away. If you think it’s a donkey then you’ll color it brown. If you are not species constrained then it can be blue and yellow…and no further explanations are needed.

I’ve learned something about leadership. Don’t assume I’m looking at a donkey anymore. And don’t be constrained by colors.

It’s quite probable that we are living in the age of blue donkeys and green cows. This calls for many new ways of approaching ministry.

For example, who says that you can’t go on a retreat…online? Of course you can. Leif Kehrwald and Jolene Roehlkepartain are leading such a retreat now! It’s not too late to sign up. It’s for moms and it goes for six weeks in Lent.

Next week I’m going to ask James what a blue donkey sounds like? I can hardly wait.