If you’re not keeping score, how to you know you’re winning?
Or maybe winning isn’t the goal.
Hmmm …
I’m going to offer a broad life perspective before this post is done, but let me start with a current example.
I’ve been serving as the Interim Pastor at a local church for the past 5 months helping them navigate the season of transition in preparation for calling their next pastor.
This week is Vacation Bible School week at the church and this allows me to help with VBS for the first time in many years.
Last night was the first of 5 evenings of music, Bible stories, crafts, recreation, and snacks.
The church has been preparing for months—with particularly long hours the past few weeks for the children’s minister.
Last night’s attendance was the lowest first night they’ve had in many years and I know the people who have put in so much work were a little discouraged at the turnout.
So much work for so few kids.
But is attendance the best scorecard for an amazing VBS? Or for church in general?
Here’s something to ponder: what does a smaller than anticipated crowd make possible?
Could it be that the most important scorecard is not attendance but life impact?
And could it be that a smaller number of kids means that adult workers can pour more individual attention and encouragement into the lives of these precious young ones because none of them will be lost in the crowd?
I think there is an opportunity here that is too important to miss.
We’ll just have to choose to embrace a different scorecard.
Let’s go broad again.
How many times—in multiple areas of our lives—do we increase our frustration because we are keeping score the way we’ve always kept score?
“It’s not whether you win or lose; it’s how you play the game.”
(Quote attributed to sportswriter Grantland Rice in 1927).
Nobody actually believes that—at least when it comes to competitive endeavors. Someone is going to win and someone else is going to lose. Even if you’re competing with yourself by trying to improve on a previous attempt.
But what if winning at life is not a competition?
What if amazing is not measured in terms like “more” …
“farther” …
“faster” …
“better” …
or any other comparative expression?
Is it possible to say “Winning!” because we know we have given ourselves deeply and embraced the opportunity of the moment in the best way we could AT the moment?
Jesus said,
“I have come in order that you might have life—life in all its fullness.”
John 10:10
Not everything you want.
Not everything you think you need.
Not more and more and more.
But noticing the opportunities that are presented in ordinary moments—even challenging moments—and diving headlong into them—not for the sake of setting a record, but of seeing God there.
Be amazing today, my friend.
