There is this wonderful concept in the world of work of the personal appraisal. Some might know it as a performance review, others may know it as that thing their boss should have done but didn’t get round to doing while they’ve been working for the company for five years.
It is a wonderful concept. On a regular basis (preferably not every six years) the employee and her line manager sit down and reflect on their job description and their assigned activities and how they have progressed. Consideration is given to personal development and space then given to map out what can be done in the future to help reach set goals, some set by the employee, some agreed with the employer, some set by the employer.
I am one of those people who dreads and delights in appraisals. I dread them because it can often seem like being sent to the Headmaster’s office for some misconduct and you are about to hear that you’ve been a naughty boy and you’ve let your parents down, you’ve let your wife down, you’ve let the company down but most importantly you’ve let yourself down. I’ve got to be honest with you, I’m still learning how to take negative criticism well – even if it’s not given well. I’m learning how to absorb, discern and suitably digest it in a manner that builds me rather than crushes.
Why I delight in these appraisals, when they are done properly, is that they are not a fault-finding forum. It is a time for reflection, but it’s also a time of projection. It uses yesterday as a stepping stone today for a better tomorrow. (No you don’t have to use that as a catchy slogan, it came straight off the top of me head and anyway I’ll sue you. Just kidding of course. My solicitor isn’t good enough for the suits … yet.)
Often we’re so busy with the issues of life that we don’t stop to appraise the situation and notice the key part of the word – praise. It’s almost as though the whole process is geared towards finding things that are praise-worthy (now where have I read that before? Surely not Philippians. Surely not about whatsoever is good, pure, etc. Nah, that would be too biblical, godly and that kinda jazz). Surely our lives should be lived to focus on delivering that which is praiseworthy and so it’s only right that from time to time we check if we’re doing just that.
Now that works wonderfully well in the working scenario, but my challenge is how do we apply that in the family context and then the larger family otherwise known as the church? It might not be the formal approach with sheets of paper and copious notes. It’s also a mutual affair. One of the things that churches don’t lend themselves to enough is a feeling of mutuality. Even if I am a pastor, evangelist, apostle, teacher or whatever that is a gift, I am still a brother in need of another brother/sister to tell me how I’m doing.
It is still good for the Body of Christ to appraise each other of the Kingdom situation for the praise of His glory.
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
dmcd
Life With CD 