December 31, 2018 - Climbing the Ladder (How Low Will You Go?)

Here we are on the eve of the big game… the game we will call 2019! Typically before games, athletes are envisioning how they see the game going… thinking about and committing to what needs to be done to stop or slow down the opponent… thinking about how to implement the offensive game plan (which by the way we have been discussing in this blog the last few weeks)… and, to be honest, many players are thinking about what they need to do to stand out and be successful (sometimes with no regard of the team.)

Bottom line is that we can think about things all we want, but the “committing to” is how we actually put it into action. All around the globe tonight people will be making their New Year’s Resolutions… and the reality is less than 25% of those will be kept past the first week of January… in other words, a lot of thinking about… not a lot of committing to.

Reality is that commitment demands sacrifice and one must be very passionate about something to really sacrifice for it! Yet, in spite of those woeful numbers, I think it is imperative that we make plans and prepare… the we set goals / resolutions… that we figure out what we are passionate about.

Most resolutions are set with the idea of how to better oneself… i.e. my year will be better if I am better… if I look better… if I make more… if people make more of me… if I climb the ladder a few rungs higher…

Let me challenge you for this next “game” (year) to look at it a bit different. Jesus had a lot to say about obtaining greatness… but He had quite a twist on it. He basically said that our greatness is not in how high we climb… but to what depths we will go… TO REACH GREAT HEIGHTS WE MUST CLIMB DOWN THE LADDER!

Matthew 20:26-28 “Yet it shall not be said among you, but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave--- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (The words of Jesus)

So, what are your resolutions for the year… your “game plan”? I’m not saying you shouldn’t resolve to take better care of yourself… or be better at your job… etc. I am saying that our focus, as members of God’s team, should include a lot of planning on how we can meet the needs of others… how we can seek to serve, not be served! Get yourself a game plan and commit to it… sacrifice for it… make sure it goes beyond just thoughts to action… make sure it last longer than just though… longer than a week…

Have a great 2019… How low will you climb?