Serve, Step Aside, or Stay

For years, I have served communities who needed organizing, encouragement, protection, coordination, advocacy, and even leadership.  Yet, the longer I serve, the more convinced I am that there are clear events when it is appropriate to step aside.

When events occur that destroy your credibility or ability to lead.
When accusations become numerous and consistently lodged against you, thus threatening to divide those constituencies who you lead and who placed you in leadership.
When those around you advocate for your departure.
When you feel you are no longer able to serve or meet the needs of those you are called to serve.

When you are no longer able to serve, or others are no longer willing to serve or work with you, it is time to strongly consider whether you are still a servant, or whether you have become an impediment to serving others.

Whether you know better or not.  It does not matter when you serve.
Whether you did or did not do wrong.  Due process aside, service is the focus.
Whether others are wrong or right.

The only exception is when you alone stand in the gap against evil.  And, even if you do, you will not stand long unless others decide to stand with you.  Thus, stepping aside may become the most appropriate strategy to recover, reorganize and redevelop a future strategy to continue your life of service.

For good or ill, serving is key.
People will only remember if you served well.
People remember who you champion.
People remember what you champion.
People remember how you respond.
Did you respond with compassion.
Did you respond with a thought for the future.
Did you respond with a hope and with strategic thinking.
Be comforted that any action, no matter how poor, will be measured against your heart.
Of that, I am confident.

Ultimately, the reason one serves is for the passion and goal of serving others.  Stepping aside for others more passionate, more able, more willing, can allow for the movement you ultimately desire and shows integrity.

When you stay to only serve your reputation or yourself, others will only focus on you, not on the activity necessary that you do to serve others.  Serve, Step Aside or Stay.  You choose.