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Passing the Baton

jayjudkins

Updated: Jan 29



I was walking through my dining room this morning and saw a picture frame that was given to my wife by one of her student’s parents. My wife teaches pre-k special needs kids, and although I may be somewhat biased, she is one of the best teachers and greatest advocates for these little people. The picture frame contains two pictures, one from when they first met and one when the student graduated to kindergarten. I remember my wife’s concern about how this young lady would handle the transition. Despite the worries of both parents and teachers, this little firecracker is flourishing in her new environment and building on the foundation that was laid in her earlier years.


I’ve walked by that picture frame hundreds of times, but this morning it struck me differently. I have spent a good part of the past weekend working on a transition plan for my own life, and the similarities became very apparent. This “passing the baton” moment comes with a swirl of both positive and negative emotions: pride, grief, sadness, hope, and even resentment. Obviously, the context of our relationship can impact how we might respond in these times of transition. I think the most important thing that I feel impressed to convey is this: Sometimes, it doesn’t feel okay to let go, but I want to reassure you: it’s okay.


We might feel vicarious pride when we’ve given our best to someone and they go on to do greater things than we could ever imagine. We might also feel jealous that we were not able to do those things ourselves. Or we may feel frustrated if they don’t reach their potential or stumble along the way. It may even make us feel like failures ourselves.


All of us that serve in roles that support people would prefer to respond in positive ways, regardless of their performance or success. Yet many of us are a mixed bag of emotions in spite of our desire to be nothing less than the best in our roles as parents, teachers, coaches, or mentors. Experiencing these emotions provides us with an opportunity to gain greater self-awareness and improve our mental and emotional skill set. This will in turn allow us to become better advocates for those that we serve.


These feelings have become all too real for me as I've been working on my own life transition plan. Reflecting on my journey, I remember nearly 20 years ago when I transitioned from a full-time job to starting my first business—an insurance agency. The industry that I was working in was changing rapidly, and the job wasn’t what I really wanted to be doing. Like many people, I needed to pay bills and support my family, and this was where I ended up. However, I have this duplicitous nature of loyalty and rebellion; I don’t like being told what to do, but when I’m dedicated to something, I’m all in. So what do people like me do? We start our own business. And so I left my full-time job to start an insurance agency.


I didn’t know much about insurance or running a business, and my confidence was fragile. What could go wrong, you ask? Well, more than you would think. But I truly believed that the Lord was directing me, and starting an insurance agency was what I was supposed to be doing. The whole story is both tragic and comical (not to mention way too long for this article), but by nothing less than the grace of God, the business is still going and more successful now than ever before.


About 15 years ago, I met a smart but reserved teenager at church named Zach. I started building a relationship with Zach, and eventually we engaged in some bible teaching and mentoring. Over time, we got closer, and I asked Zach if he would like to come work part-time at my insurance agency. He agreed, and gradually he soaked up all the knowledge I had and more, ultimately becoming a licensed agent.


An opportunity to buy another insurance agency presented itself. After the purchase, I offered Zach the opportunity to run the new agency, and he took it and ran with it. That was five years ago, and a lot has transpired during those years. Zach got married, the world was transformed by Covid, and we had a lot of business dealings that came and went. When the dust settled, our agency had not only weathered the storm but had also grown substantially.


Much like the then and now pictures in the frame that was given to my wife, I have the mental picture of the teenage Zach and the current one to compare it to. The teenage kid was a bit quirky, but the current Zach is a loving husband, a capable businessman, and a substantial contributor to his church and community.


Now I am prepared to hand the proverbial baton to Zach, entrusting him with the business that the Lord gave me so many years ago. As I mentioned earlier, there are a lot of emotions that can surface in these transitions, and I'm experiencing several of them. I’m very aware that I can’t take credit for the man Zach has become, nor would I want to. Nevertheless, I can say that I played a part in his growth, however big or small, and for that I am grateful.


This is the message for all of us that are pouring into other people, whether young or old, in schools or on teams, at church or in our own homes: just keep looking for the "Zachs" of the world. They might be shy, quirky, loud, or obnoxious, but when you find them pour yourself into them. One day, you’ll have the privilege of passing them the baton, confident they’re equipped to run their own race and win.

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