For most of us, we’re used to relying on the “You Are Here” indicators of new locations so that we at least have some bearing on where here is, even if we don’t know where there is. How many shopping monstrosities have you been to where you first find the welcome kiosk and look for that comforting dot to indicate you know where you are?
It’s nice to know where you are.
It’s even better to know why you’re here.
One of the first things I do at the start of almost every meeting I convene is remind myself, and those in the meeting, why we’re here. It’s more than just a summary of the agenda, it’s a (re)calibration for why we’re meeting in the first place. Why are we talking about this project to be completed by this date for this audience?
When people have a sense of why they’re here, direction and decisions become that much more clear.
In the first few chapters of Second Samuel, after King Saul had died, David is caught in the tension of honoring the previous king and embracing his own destiny as king of Israel. The tribes are somewhat divided because many have been hunting David down as Saul was out to kill him. With Saul now dead, those who were on David’s side seek to settle a few scores. Abner (commander of Saul’s army) is stabbed in the stomach. Ish-Bosheth (Saul’s son) is decapitated during an afternoon nap. David’s response to both deaths reminded Israel why they are here, and it’s not to retaliate for previous injustices. Soon after, leaders of Israel met with David and confirmed/anointed him as king.
We’re involved in too many things. We’re in too many places at one time. We’re caught up in the swirl and whirl of life as we know it today. We’re spending more time communicating and connecting. We’re launching new things. We’re raising families. We’re meeting friends. We’re online, offline and out of line. We’re trying to follow Jesus.
As communicators, we would serve our audiences well to continually remind them why they’re here, why they’re involved and why they matter to this community.
I recently visited a church for the first time. At the start of the service, the pastor prefaced the morning by reminding us why this church was in this city. He reminded all of us why we gather and what we gather for. The worship, the message and the experience was enriched because we all had a common understanding for our gathering.
I hope he does that every week.
From the teams we lead to the churches we pastor, may we not only help people understand where they are, but may we regularly remind people why they are here.
