We must stop wasting neurons worrying or conversing about violence over there or a crisis across the ocean when we do not have wholeness within our immediate jurisdiction. Such restraint allows us to channel our energy and strength into action.

Understanding these truths, the leaders who have had the most lasting impact on the world are those who have focused small, claimed their village, and done right where they were at really well. This is true from Jesus and His twelve disciples to Abraham Lincoln's Civil War cabinet. Around ten seems to be a threshold number for the number of folks one person can truly take responsibility to know, serve, and love well. This presents a problem when our work is separated from the rest of our lives and our children spend much of their day in classrooms of thirty. These obstacles can and should be removed, but even despite them, each of us can refocus our energies to make sure we are playing the most effective, most responsible part we can play in the world, the one right here!

This week, I challenge you to change one hour's worth of globally-directed behavior and redirect it toward the most local community you are positioned to serve. This might look like, but is not limited to:

• Turning off the news to write letters of encouragement to your few children.
• Skipping the gossip train to take a solitary walk and think about the children you serve.
• Giving up your subscription to the video-streaming service, in order to re-allocate funds (and time) for the garden you started last week.