O.K. here’s the deal… I am a huge race fan. My favorites are Formula 1, IndyCar/Champ Car, American LeMans and sometimes GrandAm. Sorry to all of the NASCAR fans, I just can’t get into it. But here’s the scoop…
I am always amazed when watching a race at how many variables go into whether someone will even finish, let alone take the prize. There are so many things that go into it that it requires a whole team of people countless hours of thinking and preparing for the 2 or 3 hours of actual race time. Sure some things “just happen,” call it bad luck or divine intervention. But when I look at some of the variables that are controllable I am immediately reminded of the race that I am in. The Apostle Paul put it this way…
Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. – 1Cor. 9:24
So I ask myself, just how am I running it? In what way am I running? Going back to the idea of “controllable variables” within a strategy, I want to consider some parallels between those in racing and those in our eternal race. This will be a multi part discussion, so buckle up and hang on.
First there are strategies… Fuel strategies, tire strategies, pit strategies and in some cases even driver strategies. A fowl up in any of these areas is sure to guarantee a dismal finish, if at all. For the most part it all has to do with having a plan in place that thinks ahead and covers the “what ifs.”
How about our Faith Race? Shouldn’t we also have some strategies, some forethought? Shouldn’t we think ahead and approach our race with strategy, preparing upfront for trial and difficulty and in so doing preparing to overcome and win?
Strategy is simply thinking ahead and planning from that perspective. Keep in mind that a balanced approach to this is required. On one side you can get so caught up in thinking about the future that you totally miss the opportunity to make today count for that cause. On the other side, having no plan in place almost guarantees that you’ll find yourself floundering through life aimlessly, bouncing from situation to situation wondering which way you’re heading.
I want to finish and I want to finish strong. Therefore I need to strategize my approach. I need to think ahead and plan for the good and the bad. I need to have clear cut objectives. Once I have those in place, I have a reference point for decision making. I have a target that I am aiming for and I have a standard to which I can come back to in order to track my progress and look for opportunities to inspect and correct. How does this look in your life? Do you have a strategy? Do you think you need one?
7 responses so far ↓
Same // May 30, 2007 at 5:22 am
this is a thought provoking post. Many times in CC circles I have heard “preach it and they will come”. Or, “where the Lord guides, He provides”. And I think that this is generally true but I also think that we have a responsibility to be stewards over time and if I can put into place strategies and systems that will make me more effective when it comes to time management that I think that is a good thing. Of course, you mention about balance (no CC post would be complete without that word) I think sometimes the balance is different depending on culture and circumstance. For example: some guys plant churches in rural back waters and wonder why the church is “only” 10 strong. There are not as many strategies that cater for rural communities as there are urban areas. Church planting in the UK is much different from planting in the US – the largest church in the UK is only about 700 people. I guess what I’m saying is that strategies are good so long as they don’t usurp God’s Word and are culturally relevant
Sean Nelson // May 30, 2007 at 10:48 am
Same … Couldn’t agree more. I have also heard the same mantras and generally agree. I think it’s like anything else, when you start making it a “Hyper” version of that then you’ve lost the heart of the statement. I believe our natural propensity sometimes is to take things to the “extreme.” That can go with or without planning and forethought. But then we also need to be flexible to the moving of the Spirit as He relates to us, “Nice plan, but I’m thinking of something a little (or a lot) different…” Thanks for the feedback!
Reuben // November 29, 2007 at 2:58 pm
I’m a WRC fan myself, so I don’t get it.
Sean Nelson // November 29, 2007 at 3:04 pm
True, that’s good stuff. My son really likes it so we’ve been catching up with it lately. We’re watching a little TARGA right now (similar to WRC but open to all kinds of entries).
Reuben // November 29, 2007 at 3:16 pm
BTW, don’t know where to send the Pando stuff to.
e-mail me an addy at reubenmills@hughes.net
What I like about WRC is that the gys rarely know the course (think of the spiritual implications in that!) so they have to fly by an instruction manual (again, think of the spiritual implications in that!) and the co-driver is tellin the driver where to go before the driver even sees the next turn. Trippy stuff. It always seems to me like the co-driver is always right, but the driver thinks he can throttle through a 4 yellow turn and ends up flipping the car 14 times.
You could write a whole sermon off that!
Sean Nelson // November 29, 2007 at 3:44 pm
LOL, No doubt!
Definitely some spiritual implications. I say you develop a series and go for it!
As for the pando stuff, hit me at seanpnelson@gmail.com
Reuben // November 29, 2007 at 4:47 pm
Ok, sent it, about 98 MB worth