Many leaders are told to expect the unexpected, but if it is unexpected how can you expect it? Certainly there is value in trying to expect and prepare for worse case scenarios, however great leaders know how to retain their focus on achieving superior results when surprising challenges are setbacks occur.

My mother sent me this story today. I do not know whether it’s true. The reason I am posting it is not for any spiritual message, but rather to encourage leaders to consider that often times challenges occur to make us stronger, encourage us to consider an alternative approach, or to serve a purpose unknown to us. Therefore as leaders our primary role is not always to solve the problem, but rather to retain our focus on key priorities as we work our way through the challenge.

Lost Glasses

My mother’s father worked as a carpenter, on this particular day, he was building some crates for the clothes his church was sending to orphanages in China.

On his way home, he reached into his shirt pocket to find his glasses, but they were gone. When he mentally replayed his earlier actions, he realized what had happened; the glasses had slipped out of his pocket unnoticed and fallen into one of the crates, which he had nailed shut.

His brand new glasses were heading for China! The Great Depression was at its height and Grandpa had six children. He had spent $20 for those glasses that very morning. He was upset by the thought of having to buy another pair. “It’s not fair,” he told God as he drove home in frustration. “I’ve been very faithful in giving of my time and money to your work, and now this.”

Months later, the director of the orphanage was on furlough in the United States. He wanted to visit all the churches that supported him in China, so he came speak one Sunday at my grandfather’s small church in Chicago.

The missionary began by thanking the people for their faithfulness in supporting the orphanage. “But most of all,” he said, “I must thank you for the glasses you sent last year. You see, the Communists had just swept through the orphanage, destroying everything, including my glasses. I was desperate. Even if I had the money, there was simply no way of replacing those glasses. Along with not being able to see well, I experienced headaches every day, so my coworkers and I were much in prayer about this. Then your crates arrived. When my staff removed the covers, they found a pair of glasses lying on top.” The missionary paused long enough to let his words sink in. Then, still gripped with the wonder of it all, he continued: “Folks, when I tried on the glasses, it was as though they had been custom made just for me! I want to thank you for being a part of that.”

The people listened, happy for the miraculous glasses. But the missionary surely must have confused their church with another, they thought. There were no glasses on their list of items to be sent overseas.

But sitting quietly in the back, with tears streaming down his face, an ordinary carpenter realized the Master Carpenter had used him in an extraordinary way. There are times we want to blame God instead of thanking him!

I have to remember this in these times of trials of my own. May GOD bless your week! Look for the perfect mistakes. “People are like tea bags- - you have to put them in hot water before you know how strong they are.” Peace is not the absence of trouble. Peace is the presence of God.

Great leaders are not always those who sit up at the front or stand as the speaker. This carpenter and father was a leader who knew how to serve others. He was making a positive difference in the lives of his family, church, clients and community. Did you notice how he did not stand and seek to be recognized for the gift of his glasses? Instead he listened, and learned.

Possibly the next time we are faced with a challenge our question should not be, “Why did this happen?” Instead possibly we should ask, “What am I supposed to learn from this problem?”