Ministry
Sometimes, life is hard.
Well, perhaps often, life is hard.
We wish it wasn’t this way. I think many of us often long for those times we can relax, take it easy, and forget about the problems that we have in life.
Many of us with children perhaps are envious when we think of the reality of having six weeks off over Christmas and two weeks break in between school terms, knowing that life is not this way for adults!
But what gets us through tough times?
What makes an individual able to survive, to thrive even?
Simon Sinek shares an amazing insight from the US Marines in this video https://youtu.be/zP9jpxitfb4.
For those who don’t have time to watch it, the transcript is below:
The Navy SEALs are one of the highest performing organisations on the planet, and a former Navy SEAL was asked who makes it through BUDS?
Who makes it through the selection process to become a seal?
And he said: “I can't tell you who gets through who makes it, but I can tell you the kind of people who don't make it.”
He said: “the star college athletes that never have been really tested to the core of their being – none of them make it through.”
He said: “the preening leaders who like to delegate everything – none of them make it through.”
He said: “the big tough guys that come in with huge muscles covered in tattoos and want to prove to everyone how tough they are – none of them make it through.”
He said: “some of the guys that make it through are skinny and scrawny.”
He said: “some of the guys who make it through, you will see them shivering out of fear.”
He said: “but every single one of them who makes it through when they're emotionally exhausted, when they're physically exhausted, someway, somehow, they're able to dig down deep inside themselves to find the energy to help the person next to them.”
Service.
Giving to another, having their back, is what makes the highest performing teams in the world: not their strength, and not their intelligence.
It’s their willingness to be there for each other.
It’s amazing how performance is linked to love, and to community – that the people who serve others create the best teams in the world.
Jesus teaches his followers to do this. Christians have been seeking to live this way for 2000 years. And we do this, not for the sake of high performance, but because it is the right way, God’s way, to live.
In response to what Jesus taught, the Apostle Paul said the following to fellow disciples:
'In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’
May we all live with an awareness that loving others and caring for our community doesn’t just bring out the best in them – it also brings out the best in ourselves.
God’s blessings.
Chris Mann
College Pastor