Walk Slowly Through the Crowd
I am not known for being a slow walker. I always go at the pace of a man who has either lost sight of the neighborhood ice cream truck or is being chased by a pack of angry squirrels. Or maybe both at the same time (it can be hard to tell).
That is especially true at weekend services, when I’m usually a man on a mission. My daughter calls it my “Sunday mode.”
And that sounds well and good…except that it’s not always well and good. My speed usurps relationships. My mission to get tasks done often means that I miss out on the real mission: the people around me.
Leadership great John Maxwell is known for the saying “Walk slowly through the crowd.” What I didn’t know until recently is that adage didn’t start with him, but rather with his dad. (You can see the rather moving tribute at the video below, or – for RSS readers – here.
A touching tribute. And a terrific reminder.
So if – like me – you’re more prone to walking quickly on a mission, why not make a plan to walk slowly through the crowd?
Walk slowly through your volunteer huddle.
Walk slowly down the sidewalk.
Walk slowly through your lobby.
Walk slowly through the newcomers’ class.
Walk slowly through the auditorium.
Walk slowly through your offices.
Walk slowly through your neighborhood.
Walk slowly through the crowd.
