Serving Your Tribe!
Today, we’re delving deeper into the art of serving your tribe, understanding the essence of a tribe, and the crucial role of keeping God at the center of it all.
Let’s begin by understanding what a tribe entails.
Traditionally, when the term “tribe” is mentioned, thoughts often drift to the Native Americans.
This association is prevalent in many schools across the United States, including the ones I attended. However, I propose a shift in perspective.
According to Webster’s dictionary, a tribe is defined as a group of individuals sharing common characteristics, occupations, or interests.
By this definition, we encounter numerous tribes in our lives.
For instance, I consider myself part of the tribes led by Russell Brunson and Tony Robbins, as well as those comprising my family, church, and colleagues at Eclipse DOT and DOT Docs. Additionally, readers of our devotionals at God First Life undoubtedly belong to our tribe.
Each of us is involved in multiple tribes, and some may even find themselves leading several, although it might not be immediately apparent.
Now, let’s delve into the heart of the matter.
Are you prepared?
Alright, let’s explore how you can serve your tribe. There are myriad ways to help and support others.
Jesus demonstrated service through various acts during his life. One notable example is his performance of miracles, showcasing compassion and power to help others in need. Additionally, he humbly washed the feet of his disciples, setting an example of servanthood and humility for all believers to follow.
Moreover, his sacrifice on the cross was undoubtedly a service to all of humanity. So, how can you also serve your tribe?
Let’s delve into the tribes I’m part of and how I contribute to them. Perhaps this will inspire some ideas for you as well.
My Family: This group is undoubtedly one that I am deeply committed to, making it effortless to serve them.
I serve my family by striving to provide them with the best life possible. This involves working diligently, being present for special occasions, helping whenever needed, guiding them to develop their core values, imparting a solid foundation for their lives, and allowing them to experience failure as a means of learning and growth. Perhaps I should consider writing a full devotional on this topic—sounds like a plan!
These are just some of the ways I serve my immediate family. But it’s important to remember that my family extends beyond just my wife and kids.
It extends to my parents, brother, my wife’s parents, and brothers. Then, it reaches out to our grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Further still, it encompasses my grandparents’ siblings, their children, and their grandchildren. The family network continues to expand!
You’ve got the idea.
Serving our families can keep us plenty occupied, especially with teenagers around, ha-ha! Another tribe I serve is our Eclipse DOT and DOT Docs community.
These include our employees and their families, our customers and their families, potential customers and their families, the vendors we collaborate with and their families, the groups we support and their families, and many others!
You might be wondering why everyone’s family is included in who we serve. Let me explain.
Let’s say you receive that dreaded letter from the federal government stating that you are undergoing a DOT audit. It might cause a little stress, am I right?
You know I’m right.
Then what happens to that stress? You take it home with you, right? (Again, you know I’m right.) So, by removing that stress from you, our team and level of service are positively impacting our clients’ families.
The level of service we provide to the people in those tribes is significant! That’s why we don’t take it lightly. Now, what about our communities?
How can we serve them? Well, there are simple ways, such as volunteering for clean-up efforts or assisting anyone in our community who is in need.
We often witness people, especially around the holidays, volunteering at soup kitchens for a day or participating in roadside clean-up events once or twice a year. However, there are other ways to serve our local community as well.
One simple way is to observe a need and address it. When you encounter litter on the ground, whether it’s in a ditch, a park, or outside your home, take a moment to pick it up and dispose of it properly.
Perhaps you could offer a bit of money to someone who appears hungry, allowing them to purchase a meal. Often, those who need assistance the most may be too proud or scared to ask for it openly.
Therefore, rather than seeking out the beggar on the corner, take a closer look within your community to identify those who genuinely require help.
I could talk endlessly about serving your tribe, but I’ll refrain. One final point I’d like to emphasize about serving your tribe is to think outside the box.
Many of us seek the “easy” way out. (I know I do every single day!) However, when it comes to serving others, creativity is key. Avoid following the crowd. Instead, strive to go above and beyond, overdelivering on every tribe you’re a part of.
It’s time to spring into action!
It’s action time once more! Here’s your task: Firstly, identify the tribes you belong to.
Take a moment to jot them down. Seriously, I’ll wait…
Alright, now make a quick list of the ways you’re already serving them.
What are you waiting for? Go ahead and write them down. (You can set a timer for 2 minutes if it helps, and jot down everything you can until it goes off.)
Got it?
Perfect!
Now, here’s the challenging part. For each tribe, brainstorm one out-of-the-box idea to enhance your service to them.
Here is mine:
Tribes: Family, Eclipse DOT/DOT Docs, God First Life, Community
Family: Set a quitting time each day and never work past that time. Set a time when I no longer answer work calls on my phone. Take them with me more on work trips. Do something special for each kid and Jenna.
Eclipse DOT/DDOT Docs: I do everything I can to make each team member feel like family. (Not the bad family, but the ones you truly want to spend time with.) Lead by example for our clients and team. Think of ways to serve our tribe. Ask them how we can serve them better.
God First Life: continue to bring devotionals to them weekly. Daily post scriptures on social media. Never stop talking about God first. Show my love for God in everything that I do. Bring more events to our area.
Local Community: Give back more! Continue to be a leader in 4-H. When I see someone in need, don’t hesitate to help them.
Outside the box:
Family: Teach Nathen to drive a standard transmission. Support Billy with his falconry dreams. Be there for Brianna in her crafts and encourage her to continue to start tons of projects. Guide Jacob to learn his true potential (that kid has some major charisma). Take more walks with Jenna, slow down, and be present when I am with her.
Eclipse DOT/DDOT Docs: Go the extra mile, even if it costs more.
God First Life: Write a book about keeping God first in every aspect of your life.
Local Community: Be looking for the opportunity to serve. I know that God has huge plans for us. So, I need to be ready to take act when he calls.
Enhance your faith-led leadership journey with God First Life Next. Explore empowering insights at “Serving Your Tribe” Let faith guide your leadership. Click for purposeful living at GodFirstLifeNext.org.
