By The Rev. Dr. Carl Grosse

Have you ever been hired for a job that clearly didn’t fit? Or have you managed or supervised someone who was just not the right person for the job? Even if neither of those apply to you, I expect you’ve interacted with someone – a customer service rep, wait staff, or some employee somewhere – who really should be doing something else. The tragic factor increases if they’re “passionate” about something and still not good at it (think Bess Truman or Florence Foster Jenkins). 

Now, let’s flip this around. Have you ever had a boss who was less than helpful? Or have you struggled to encourage an employee who left and then flourished with another company? If neither of those apply to you, I expect you’ve seen someone – an employee, student, or athlete – who was not successful in one setting, but put them in another and they blossom. Also been there and done that. 

We talk a lot about gifts and talents in church. Personally, I think we spend too much time doing studies and small groups and taking tests. Here at Fountain City Presbyterian, I could throw a dart at the church directory and have a very good probability of hitting someone who didn’t know they could do something until they tried it. I love hearing those stories! What matters more in church are character and personal qualities. You need problem-solvers, encouragers, servers, analysts, and above all, people who know they are not in charge…God is. 

Any group or project needs a mix of these types, whether you’re planning a budget or putting on a potluck. Sometimes you will get a mix that doesn’t work, and you’ll have people who are in the wrong role. Churches, more than any other group besides families, should have a capacity to recognize when something isn’t the way it should be, and then take steps to resolve the issue. We’re ALL sinners who have been helped! Focus on personal qualities and put people where they have a good chance to succeed. Let people try BEFORE recruiting them for something, maybe they have skills and abilities even they don’t yet know. By all means, if something clearly isn’t working, don’t force a square peg into a round hole. Be flexible, make adjustments, and don’t take things personally. The more we help each other succeed, the more we succeed as a church family.