The Ten Commandments do not begin with a command.
They begin with a reminder: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” Then the commands follow.
The order matters. God did not hand a rulebook to slaves and promise freedom if they kept the rules. He freed them first. The law came to people who already belonged to him.
The idea. Leaders often reverse this order. The new hire gets the handbook on the first day and the relationship later, if ever. Prove yourself, and then you belong. People who belong first carry the standards differently. The standards become something they protect, not something done to them.
The action for this week. Think of your newest team member. Before the next correction or the next standard, do one thing that says “you belong here.” Make an introduction, ask for the person’s story, or hand over a real decision.
“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.”Exodus 20:2, ESV
Jake
P.S. How much room does your team have to decide? Take the LEADS Self-Check and find out.