The Buck Stops Here

“’Teacher, said John, ‘we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he is not one of us.’ ‘Do not stop him,’ Jesus said. ‘For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us’” (Mark 9: 38-50).

“The buck stops here” is a phrase attributed to Harry Truman to indicate that there are some jobs that cannot or should not be passed on to others.  The buck stops at the desk of the Chief Operating Officer (CEO) of a company.  There are some jobs that a CEO must do herself, but many tasks can be delegated to others.

In Sunday’s text[1]Moses complained to God, the Chairman of the Board (consisting of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), that he had too much responsibility—caring for all those people he brought out of Egypt—how was he supposed to do everything anyway? “Moses said to God, ‘Why are you treating me this way? I can’t do this by myself—it’s too much, all these people . . . I’ve seen enough; I’ve had enough’” (Excerpts Numbers 11: 11-15, The Message).  Moses was ready to throw in the towel until God taught him how to be an effective CEO.

God explained to Moses that one of his non-delegable duties as a CEO was to build a strong management team consisting of seasoned leaders and to delegate some of his authority to each: “The Lord said to Moses: ‘Bring me seventy of Israel’s elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people’ . . . Then the Lord came down in a cloud and spoke with him [Moses], and he took some of the power of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders” (Numbers 11:16; 25).  He taught Moses that he doesn’t have to do everything—that he can share the power of the Spirit with others.

Joshua, Moses’ long-time assistant, jealously observed two of the seventy “prophesying in the camp” . . . and asked Moses to stop them. “But Moses said, ‘Are you jealous for me? Would that all God’s people were prophets.  Would that God put his Spirit on all of them’” (Numbers 11: 28-29).  Moses was a quick study.  As soon as God showed him how to share the burden with others, he realized the wisdom of it.

It was a lesson that Jesus would have to teach his disciples.  John reported to Jesus “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he is not one of us.’ ‘Do not stop him,’ Jesus said. ‘For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us’” (Mark 9: 38-50).  Both Joshua and the disciples were jealous of the authority they had working under the CEO, and they didn’t want to share it.  Like a  good CEO chiding his managers, Jesus pointed out that they aren’t in competition—anyone who spreads the Word in the name of Jesus is on the same team!

Pastors of all denominations and lay spreaders of the Word are not in competition for the hearts and minds of people.  We are all in this together.  We all want the same thing—to tell others the good news that Jesus died and rose for your sins and mine.  We all work for God—the Chairman of the Board.  We are all workers in his vineyard.

James issued a warning to oppressive CEOs: “Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you.  Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.  Your gold and silver are corroded . . . Look!  The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you”  (James 5: 1-3, 5). It is a CEO’s responsibility to pay workers a fair wage so that they can take care of themselves and their families.  Rich and poor alike are dependent upon God for sustenance and for the very air they breathe.  The psalmist warned arrogant people who think that they don’t need God: “When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust” (Psalm 104:29).

One day each of us will return to dust—so get over yourself and get God.

Whether you are a CEO of a Fortune 500 company, the CEO or Co-CEO in your family of one or two, a pastor, or a mother making up a chores chart for the members of your family, you need to learn to delegate and to accept the work of others who are working toward the same goal.  You should never overlook the needs and contributions of people who are a bit different.  Seek out others who can lighten your burden.  You can’t do everything yourself.  It’s true that the buck stops with the CEO, but God wants all hands on deck.  Everyone is invited to share in the task of spreading the Word that Jesus Christ is Lord.  We all have different talents and abilities and are not all called to the same task, but a wise CEO observes the special abilities of his people and delegates accordingly.

Go and do likewise. And may the Spirit go with you.

Diane Cieslikowski Reagan

[1]The Scripture texts for Sunday, September 30, 2018, are Numbers 11: 4-6, 10-16, 24-29; Psalm 104: 27-35; James 5: 1-20; Mark 9: 38-50.