9. Keep a LONG TERM Look. Losing one game does not have to destroy a season. Falling behind in one quarter does not mean you will lose the game. A setback in ministry does not mean the whole future is bleak. Keeping a long-term perspective helps to deal with short-term setbacks. Let’s face it, drama queens (those who constantly go from “today is the best day of my life!” to “today is the most awful day ever”) never seem to do well at football. Or ministry.
10. Be AGILE, MOBILE and HOSTILE. OK, I am getting carried away a bit, but that’s how my coach described a linebacker. At my age I am fragile, docile and senile! In ministry we should never be hostile, but we must be agile and mobile, or flexible. We should be aware of our times and our people and be able to apply a timeless gospel in a timely manner. And we should be hostile toward the devil.
I will add an 11th that I have only learned in recent days: Value rest at the appropriate time. After the Friday night lights went out, before we went home, coach would tell us on Saturday to get some rest, drink lots of fluids, to be prepared to go back after it on Monday. We need to work hard, but we also need to Sabbath well, to stop at times. Jesus did (Luke 5:16). Burnout doesn’t come from working too hard but from resting too little.
Football and ministry obviously are not exactly the same. Ministry matters a lot more. Ministry is not a game: It’s life and death. But, just as Paul used a soldier, an athlete and a farmer to describe a minister, football can teach us a lot.
Now, go out there and give it all for the—no, not the Gipper—for the Savior!
* The title is with apologies to Robert Fulghum, author of All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten: Uncommon Thoughts on Common Things.
