In Mark 6:35–38 Jesus and his disciples were confronted with an overwhelming problem. Thousands of hungry people in a remote area needed to be fed. The disciples’ diagnosis and solution were simple. Since the people were hungry, the hour was late, and they had no resources to feed such a multitude, the crowd should disperse to go buy some food in the surrounding countryside and villages. It was certainly logical. However, Jesus had another idea. “You give them something to eat,” he suggested. When the disciples mentioned the enormous cost of such an undertaking, Jesus asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus reoriented their thinking. Rather than accepting the foregone conclusion that they could do nothing, Jesus empowered them to reevaluate their resources. Serving leaders help their people to think of innovative solutions. They encourage possibility thinking rather than focusing on limitations.

Lead, love, and serve, like Jesus!

KEY QUESTIONS: Do I tend to accept foregone conclusions before fully diagnosing a problem? Do seeming impossibilities overwhelm me or cause me to seek out creative solutions? How might processing limitations lead to innovation? With whom should I spend time to help me process problems and search for solutions?