Recently, my friend, Rev. Traci Blackmon, posted on Facebook: “Concerning matters of racial justice… ‘An institution or congregation moves only as fast as the most fragile white person in their midst.’ – Dr. Jemar Tisby”
From what I’ve experienced and observed, there is a lot of truth to this statement. But even beyond matters of racial justice, it also speaks to a truth about the role that various expressions of fragility play in the overall capacity of congregations to move forward at all. All ministry leaders face the challenge of how to navigate the fragility of those they serve while still leading a congregation faithfully forward. It’s complex. In one sense, all of us are fragile; human life is fragile. And we should attend to that reality. But there is also an expression of fragility proceeding from a defensiveness that immobilizes, deflects, and incapacitates (sometimes resulting in the type of racism Tisby describes above). In faith communities this dynamic is especially fraught because walking with Jesus means leading people and systems in ways that align with God’s calling and the accompanying morals, ethics, and values while also demonstrating unconditional grace and openness to all. Consequently, instead of maintaining focus on the ways of Jesus, leaders can be lured into prioritizing the comfort, preferences, and capacity of fragile individuals, sacrificing the spiritual development of the community and its participation in God’s mission.
Consider the story of the rich, young ruler in Matthew 19:16-22, Jesus is giving advice to an ambitious young man who wants to know the key to eternal life. Jesus tells him to follow the commandments, sell his possessions, give to the poor, and follow him. Upon hearing this advice, the young man goes away sorrowful because his greed, fear, and moral fragility won’t allow him to follow. Yet it’s what Jesus doesn’t do that intrigues me. When He is confronted with this young man’s fragility:
- Jesus doesn’t chase the young man, begging him to follow him, out of some sense of insecurity or fear.
- Jesus doesn’t change the requirements of eternal life to suit the young man’s comfort, capacity, and/or preferences.
- Jesus doesn’t allow the young man’s fragility to change the trajectory of the community that He is forming.
Leading fragile people, while advancing God’s mission, is courageous and brave work. Fragility often lurks in many leaders’ blind spots. But if we dare look at it for what it is, it can help us determine where we are and communally plot a way forward. Its presence can reveal where our sensitive, brittle vulnerabilities lie, providing an opportunity to experience the healing balm of Jesus.
But catering to fragility is not a leadership strategy.
In the medical drama, The Resident, Dr. AJ Austin played by Malcolm-Jamal Warner tells a young resident during a potentially catastrophic medical crisis, “Fear makes us careful. It’s a good thing. But never let it paralyze you.” This is one of the leadership lessons Jesus is teaching in the parable of the rich young ruler; fragility makes us cautious, but we should never let it paralyze us. Prioritizing fragility, even inadvertently, is not a leadership strategy.
Question to consider:
- What areas of ministry in your context are catering to fragility in a way that hinders progress and the following of God’s calling?
- In what areas of ministry could we faithfully disrupt fragility in ways that Jesus did? What are the risks? The rewards?
- How has the fragility of those you serve, and perhaps even your own, influenced your leadership strategy?
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