Mar 5, 2008

becoming that guy

There is a guy I don't want to become.

Today, though, I realized I'm one step closer to becoming "that guy."


"That guy" is many things, and for many reasons I don't want to become him.

  • That guy uses people and loves things... instead of loving people and using things.
  • That guy doesn't want to fail because it will make him look bad... which ironically makes him fail because of that.
  • That guy works hard because no one else will... and that only makes the cycle grow worse.
  • That guy counts people because he believes numbers matter... not realizing that in doing so you communicate that attendance is the greatest value.
  • That guy teaches the Bible... instead of living the Bible.

And so on.

Obviously, I don't want to be that guy. And yet I am one step closer today to becoming him.

To be clear, I mean to say that I am one step closer to becoming a guy who will become all the more tempted to be "that guy."

You see today I realized that I have to make some big decisions regarding how far I will go down the rabbit hole God has dug for me. This will require me to learn things that are outside my sphere of knowledge, not to mention becoming someone who thinks more responsibly about lots of other things.

In short, it requires a fresh streak of maturation...

which some might call increased professionalism...

and increased profesionalism could be called a "CEO" mentality...

and a CEO "mentality" could lead me to become "that guy."

Are you tracking?

Because while I want to dive down the rabbit hole, I don't want to become "that guy."

7 comments:

gavin richardson said...

i hate that guy too

Anonymous said...

the authors of Scripture recorded and reported attendance numbers and I don't think they were communicating numbers were of the greatest value.

you'll be just fine...you are not that guy.

tonymyles said...

They did share numbers, but somehow "that guy" has used these scattered examples to justify weekly/daily attendance reports that turn people into cattle.

Caesar Augustus was "that guy," too - he used a census to know how big his kingdom was (and squeeze out the Messiah as well to kill Him). That's in Scripture, and yet I don't think it means it's an example to follow.

I guess I'd feel differently if the early church told us how many came to Jesus every day. Instead there are only a couple of examples (Acts 2:41, Acts 4:4). "That guy" would overlook that, using those two examples out of context.

And I don't want to be "that guy."

Anonymous said...

T.
You are not "that Guy"! God will not allow you to be "that Guy", He has your Heart!
Your mind may make you think that way but your heart (God) will win that battle. Keep up the battle OVER the enemy!

Anonymous said...

not all the guys who keep attendance records are "that guy". "that guy" is insecure and uses numbers to validate himself and his calling. one does not need to end in the other.

"that guy" is not hung up on numbers..."that guy" is hung up on fear and insecurity.

YOU are not "that guy" today and do not have to become "that guy" in the future. numbers and records are not the problem "that guy" needs to deal with.

Anonymous said...

Comments on your bullet points:


1. If you ever use people and love things... then I'd be worried about you! Havent seen this guy yet.

2. We all are afraid of failing. Thats a real fear. But if you look back at your life, people might see things that happened to you in your past as failure, but God looked at it as growing.

3. I can see you working hard because you see no one else is doing the job maybe as fast as you would like to see it done. That will make the cycle worse because you will take on too much. Patience is the key here.

4. It's OK to count once in a while. How else are you gonna know how many chairs to set up or vans needed for a trip to White Castle?

5. Dude! I'll come and slap ya if you start teaching the bible and not living it. Never seen you in this yet! Matter of fact, don't you always seem to teach on Sundays what you've lived!

Lord, Keep Tony from becoming the Guy he doesn't want to become, but let him always be the Guy you've made him to be!

Tanner Ridge

Robert said...

dude I think your man tanner has summed it up!!! In my short time visiting you here and exchanging a few discussions, I definitely see a man who has far too much self-awareness to become *that guy* and one who has a cool sense of humor to balance out his serious, maturity keep on as you are tony bud!!