But Do They Have Capacity For You?

When the jars were all full, she said to her son, “Bring me another jar.” But he said, “There are no more jars.” Then the oil stopped flowing – (The Human’s Manual For Living)

In the process of my own personal maturation and evolution as a friend, a confidante, a professional, a business woman, a minister of the Gospel, and in all the multiple facets of my life that are inextricably intertwined with other people’s lives, I am beginning to find value in this one truth; how extremely important it is to surround myself with people who have the capacity to facilitate and accommodate the flow (essence/purpose) from my life.

Where and when capacity is limited or maximized, two scenarios will inevitably unfold:

1. Your flow will be interrupted and the thing which you are designed to produce will cease (vision terminated/aborted)

The caption above, extracted from the narrative detailed in The Human’s Manual For Living in 2 Kings 4, speaks expressly to this end. As long as empty jars were available, the oil from the cruse flowed freely. As long as the capacity to receive remained a viable reality, reciprocity remained consistent. In these kinds of relationships you are free to flow and give of yourself, your essence. Your potential and potentiality remains uncapped. Opportunities to discover, explore and express new-found aspects of your life remains possible. You are in your most creative space. There is freedom. There is safety. The moment, however, the capacity of the recipient diminishes or ceases, who you are, your most authentic self, is placed on pause. And if you are not careful, who you are could eventually die.

2. They (your associates, friends, business partners, etc.) will go into isolation mode because they will no longer have the ability to accommodate your flow

Whatever the jar can no longer contain, it will spill. Whatever is being spilled is being wasted. Whatever is being wasted, clearly no longer holds value to the recipient. In essence, the relationships that no longer have capacity for you will begin rejecting you. The rejection may be subtle and systematic, or it may be direct and decisive.

No need to panic. Rejection is a necessary ingredient for growth. Your best course of action at this point, I am beginning to discover, is to graciously release those who have “maxed out” from around you and simply keep it moving. There are other “jars” at the next level that will place a demand on you for increased production. The question then becomes, are you prepared to handle it?