“Your room is a mess again, Shareen….you need to clean it up!”
Oh, that phrase- the proverbial reminder of youth- the command from my mom that if I wanted to have a life outside of chores, I needed to complete this simple task ASAP.
Mind you, I was not the only occupant of that space. My roommate, aka my younger sister, despite growing into a beautiful woman with many talents, was and still is notoriously messy. She had no problem helping create the clutter in our bedroom, however, cleaning was not her strong suit. Regardless, if I wanted to do anything fun, my mom expected that both her side and my side of the room would be clean, “no ifs, and, or buts about it.”
You see, my mom is THAT Saturday morning mom. You know the type….
Despite freezing weather outside, the mom opens up every window of the house as you lie in bed shivering, praying to God that you get a chance to sleep in a little longer.
The mom who “lovingly” hits the vacuum against your bedroom door to wake you up (as you still lie shivering and praying in your bed).
The mom who as you are still half asleep… still shivering and praying… is simultaneously listing off all the chores that need to be done by noon.
Yes, THAT mom.
Oh, did I mention my mom loves Mary Poppins?
As you more than likely recall from the movie, Mary Poppins sings the song “A Spoonful of Sugar” to the Banks children as a melodic lesson in finding joy in doing what needs to be done, explicitly stating “with every task that needs to be done there’s an element of fun.” So, not only was I coerced out of bed on Saturday mornings to begrudgingly do chores, but I also received the fun experience of my mom “lovingly” singing “just a spoon full of sugar makes the medicine go down”- a way for her to make the mundane task of doing housework feel like a game, to inspire us to find the fun in seemingly trivial tasks.
Despite it being very much to my chagrin at the time, as an adult, I recognize the value in Mary Poppin's magical song and my mom's Saturday morning lesson.
In adulthood, we often find ourselves burdened with tasks far more important than cleaning our rooms. We have bills to pay, mouths to feed, appointments to make promises to be upheld, people to oblige and so much more. It is infinitely more difficult to find that element of fun in these day-to-day obligations. Yet, those things need to be done. Therefore, WE are tasked with finding the joy in our everyday activities...to find the light of Jesus Christ, God's will, in the everyday tasks that cause us to grit our teeth because they're, well, BORING.
The same can be said when it comes to leadership, whether it be at home, at work, or church. Being a dynamic leader is not just what's presented in public. There are so many behind-the-scenes actions and seemingly mundane tasks that need to be taken to be an effective leader.
So... what showcases effective leadership?
Cultivating humility in the preparation, i.e. behind the scenes stuff, and not expecting immediate praise for your work showcases effective leadership. Pushing one's desires aside to focus on the task at hand showcases effective leadership. Recognizing the culmination of said tasks leads to a greater purpose and showcases effective leadership. Finding Jesus Christ, God, in ALL of it showcases effective leadership.
If you're anything like me, you have a mission to make a positive impact in your community- a passion that drives you to fulfill God's purpose for you on this earth- a need to be an effective leader. Regardless of the size of the tasks you take on, you propel yourself forward to accomplish your God-driven goals. However, it is really easy to become distracted from your mission, especially when those aforementioned menial tasks roll around. It's in these times that we can turn to scripture to motivate us to continue to be the effective leaders in Christ we are called to be. For example, we see described in Proverbs 31 a woman of wisdom and substance completing her daily tasks with patience and pride:
“She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants.
She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings, she plants a vineyard.
She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.”
Proverbs 31:13-18
It’s not a single task that makes the Proverbs 31 woman grand; it’s all the little things combined that establish her as a pillar of strength, a leader of her household and community. Within her seemingly mundane day-to-day chores, she creates a legacy for us to be inspired by.
As modern versions of the Proverbs 31 woman, we "cannot grow weary in doing good" (Galatians 6:9). We must be "faithful in the little things so we can be trusted with much" (Luke 16:10). We must be able to complete the simple task of drawing water at the well. It’s only then we have a real encounter with our Savior because if we don’t our village may not taste the living water (John 4). Finally, we need to be able to sit at the feet of Jesus to be filled up, to be emptied again.
In today's world, we're often too comfortable in a state of nothing. However, we need to change our mindsets to find that "spoonful of sugar" in our daily tasks. Why? Transforming our mindsets to find that "spoonful of sugar" provides the extra sweetness necessary to transform unpleasant tasks into purpose-filled missions. The completion of these tasks helps us create small shifts, which builds momentum for us to establish leadership and testimony of sanctification. In short, the little things allow us to fully step into our roles as Christ-driven effective leaders.
Be encouraged within your day because each ordinary day, each ordinary task, can lead to an extraordinary future serving the Lord "one spoonful of sugar at a time"
*correction my sister is no longer the messy. ☺️ She's the best! 💜
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