Day 180: Test Before You Promote
Proverbs 29:21
He who pampers his servant from childhood will have him expecting the rights of a son afterward.
Principle
When I was young and naive, I trusted people. When I matured and gained wisdom, I tested people.
I’ve been in the position of a leader for many years; one of the mistakes that I’ve habitually made is to treat my employees too generously before they deserved it. My mistake wasn’t that I was too kind but that I elevated them beyond their proven faithfulness. I often would speak highly of them to others. Interestingly, we have a warning about this in a letter from Paul to his young protégé, Timothy.
He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. – 1 Timothy 3:6
Paul actually warns that this kind of conceit will lead to the same sin as the devil. That’s a frightening scenario.
Unfortunately, I have seen this repeatedly. Young men have been elevated beyond their proven ability.
I’ve learned that in my naivety, I actually hurt my protégés by puffing them up – promoting them before their time. I shouldn’t have done it. It was poor leadership on my part.
We need to be careful not to pamper those who serve us and prepare them for greater promotion in their lives.
Remember:
Test before you promote. Share on X
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