Greensy Grumblings

Expectations can be a funny thing.

We all have them, sometimes voiced, but most of the time we keep them to ourselves.

Yesterday I listened to someone share their expectations with me. Or perhaps it was how someone wasn't living up to their expectations. I queried them as to whether they had shared their thoughts with the person concerned. "Oh no, I don't want to cause conflict" was the reply.

How fair are our expectations if they are unvoiced. How can we expect people to live up to our expectations if they don't know what they are, that is assuming they have to live up to our expectations.

As a person in paid ministry the church folk would have expectations of me. It is hard to know exactly what they are, but people are quite happy to tell me if I don't live up to them.

Perhaps I need to be more upfront with what my expectations are, that might encourage others to share theirs with me.