“Of course it is hard to let go. But it is also right to let go. For the country, and for you, the party.

“You’re the future now, make the most of it.”

Two emotional comments.
Two hard comments.
Two comments we don’t hear often enough.

How many of us know of leaders in both churches and businesses that have staid in the job too long, too scared to pass things on, or let go of things.

As Tony says, it is not easy to let go, but it is necessary to do so. It is necessary to move aside so that others can move in, build on what has been done, and take the creation to a higher plane.

In ministry I believe this is one of the hardest things to come to terms with, that of knowing when to say ‘I’ve taken this as far as I can, the future is now up to someone else’.

Quite often,in my experience, the time to do so is when things are going well and you are, in surfing times, riding the crest of the wave. If done with skill people are surprised that you are leaving and initially feel that you are wrong; in fact you look back and ask if you are doing the right thing! In hindsight people look back and see the decision was correct.

Tony may have been slightly pushed, but he still has the grace and courage to stand aside even though it is a hard and painful experience for him to do so.

If only there were more people willing to take that painful step, especially in our churches, to allow the future to develop … I wonder what things would look like?