Faith Matters | Pray for the leaders who have to make the tough decisions during these times

Have you ever noticed that guys like Steve Jobs (when he was alive) and Mark Zuckerberg were often seen wearing the exact same style of clothing every single day? For Jobs it was the black turtleneck and for Zuckerberg it’s usually a heather or blue t-shirt. I used to think it was because they were either lazy or that they lacked any sense of fashion. But, that’s not true. Well, maybe it is, but I’m in no position to judge. Actually, what it comes down to is that by wearing these basics every day they quickly reduce an additional decision that they have to make.

Did you know that there is something called “decision fatigue”? Decision fatigue refers to the deteriorating quality of decisions made by an individual after a long session of decision making. Think about the quality of the decisions that you make after a good night sleep and a healthy breakfast. Then think about the decisions that you make after a long day at work, doing homework with the kids, trying to figure out schedules and meals and even laundry. I, personally, do not make great decisions after about 8 p.m.

Now imagine a non-stop season of having to make high-pressure decisions? Every single day being confronted with decision after decision after decision and not just the easy ones like, “What shirt should I wear today?” And what if those decisions held ramifications for the health and safety of the people who mattered most to you?

What I’m describing to you is what just about every pastor across the country is feeling right now. And not just pastors, but school administrators, county officials, all the way up the chain. At some point, my church will reopen its onsite services. But before that happens there are a billion decisions to be made not the least of which are when and how we will reopen?

I only have to worry about one site and one congregation of people. But can you imagine what it must be like to be the superintendent of our school system? It’s not just a decision about whether we open schools or not.

It’s about transportation. It’s about how we maintain a healthy physical distance with kindergarteners. It’s about how we get our neediest students in front of their real live teacher in-person to get the help they need. It’s about keeping our teachers safe and healthy, even as we keep our students safe and healthy. And then, what do we do about students who are being raised by elderly grandparents and the risk of exposure for them? What about elementary students whose parents MUST go back to work and who can’t be left home alone? What about high school students whose families depend on them for income during these days? The questions are many and the answers are not easy.

So, I’d like to invite all of us to make a decision that we will stick to the way that Jobs and Zuckerberg stick to their clothes. I’d like for all of us to decide that we are going to be praying for our pastors, for our school administrators, and for our government officials. You don’t have to agree with all of their decisions. And it’s entirely possible that in this intense environment they are going to make a few bad ones along the way. But if ever there was a time for grace, this would be it. When you wake up every morning, before you start your day, decide to pray for those who are having to make many hard and difficult decisions in this non-stop season. The fatigue is real and even the best leaders can grow weary.

Your grace and your prayers would be most welcomed and appreciated. For my part, I think I am also going to invest in a few more of those black t-shirts.

Faith Matters is written by members of the Bradenton clerical community. Rev. Hope Italiano Lee is the lead pastor at Kirkwood Presbyterian Church in Bradenton, www.bigreenchurch.org.