Helping other people succeed can make me feel like a loser. I am competitive by nature and have plans to take over the world some day. It can be difficult for me to put others first. It is important for me to understand that helping other people succeed is far more powerful than my own success. You and I are a limited resource. I hate to admit it but I can only accomplish so many things in a given day. When we enlist the help of others we can increase the potential output exponentially. The scary part is that it no longer becomes our output and is the output of others. I think this is why so many of us have a hard time empowering others to succeed: we lose control. The success is no longer accomplished how we would have done it. The end result may be different than we imagined it and the worst part: we may not get any credit!

How is this process more powerful? It sounds like a losing proposition.  Those of us who serve the church cannot make decisions based on our own egos. It is not about you. You and I must realize that we are serving a purpose that is far greater than ourselves.

If your church is going to make a difference then you need to help other people win. You propagate the life changing story of Jesus in this way: by teaching and training up others. Remind yourself that serving in the church should never bring glory to your own name. Serving the church means serving others. This service is where we can find value being the first loser.