The Harder, The Better

Posted: November 24th, 2011 Category: Christianity, Common Sense

I used to think of myself as a problem solver or a fixer. People would bring problems, hundreds at a time and it was necessary for me to make their issues “go away”. I took pride in both the effort and successes. Of course this was just a very long trial for me, not a test. It took way too long for me to realize that the true gain doesn’t arise out of the loss or victory, it’s about how well we navigate our trials. Our culture is very competitive, so winning or losing has evolved into an accepted pattern of life. If you’re an athlete, lawyer or negotiator you’ve been measured by your win/loss record. If you’re a researcher, scientist or teacher, you’ve been evaluated by your development, application or transfer of knowledge. If you’re a student, you think it’s all about your grades. These statements are true for nearly every profession and in each such case, the experience has served more to move us away from God, than to truly define our character, value or approach to life. Is it so important to be close to God? There is nothing more important. I agree that earthly rewards come from the results we achieve, but I would argue that, long term results arise from the pattern of how we play the game.

I’ve read several sports articles about three famous football quarterbacks, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Joe Montana. This isn’t about how they live but how they play. They’ve each achieved great success in their chosen field, by preparing more thoroughly than their other, less famous counterparts. They’ve learned that performance is related to both understanding and talent. Understanding requires detailed study, talent requires training and practice. They do both better. If however, while on their journey, they or their counterparts personal lives should crumble, so does their game (Tiger Woods) or their legacy (Joe Paterno, Pete Rose, Barry Bonds). There are just as many business professionals who fall into these same categories, for many different reasons. “Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:4 NIV). God uses the many trials of life to teach, ingrain and better prepare us for the next round of everything. We should be making halftime adjustments, by better understanding the objectives of life. Counting trophies, awards or dollars is proof that our priorities are askew. Applying the lessons we’ve learned makes us complete. Sharing those lessons with others in God’s name makes us Christians. Sharing Christianity with the world, makes us the Lord’s disciples. Having God as our father makes His legacy eternal.

JC Calkins with COMMON SENSE 4 UNCOMMON PEOPLE