Success as The Goal: The Word “In Season” From the Sidelines

Well, here it is in the middle of January, and I am still seeing emails, blog posts, and news stories about “the year that was” and what we wish for the New Year. I read these, always on the lookout for encouraging words, things that will inspire me for the days and months ahead … regardless of the time of year. You just never know where you’ll find that one word that you need that will “take you over the edge” to improving, being better, etc. I’ve also discovered that you just never know who that word, “in season” may come from.

I think of a famous NFL coach who, it seems, after every game, even if they win big, always says, “We need to improve … get better … We’ll go in … look at the film … find ways to improve … find ways to get better…” I know I’ve heard him say that when they were leading by 30 points at half-time … “There’s still some things we need to improve on … do better …”

I think, really, what a great statement that is for us in our Christian walk. Isn’t that what we really want? To have a better, closer relationship with Jesus? To improve, to get better? As we look ahead … tomorrow … the next day … the next day … the whole “New Year,” shouldn’t that be our goal? Let’s face it: Even those days when we “did great,” didn’t we lose our witness at a critical time, even though we had stayed in “prayer/thank you Jesus” mode all day … even on those rare days … there always seems to be at least a couple of times we wish we had said something different, not joked when maybe a Christian thought shared may have been better, or not had a certain thought … you get the idea.

I pray every day, asking God to help me think the right thing, do the right thing, and say the right thing. And, to write the right thing. To stay faithful to His calling, and to His Word.

Well … yet again, I started writing a certain post (had a great title and everything!), and in the middle of the first sentence, God changes it, and here I am, writing something completely different. The way I love to write: Not my hand, but His Heart.
I think God just gave me another great saying!
When I write, let it be His heart, not my hand.

When I think, let it be His thoughts, not my thoughts. I pray every day for Jesus to renew my mind. Philippians 2:5 says to “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”
Let’s not forget who we are in Christ. How powerful it is, when we see ourselves the way Jesus sees us. And, that’s only half of the battle: Perhaps our greatest need … the one which may bring our biggest improvement … is to see others … other people … the way Jesus sees them. If we just grab hold of that … what a difference that would make. Really, if we just did that … see ourselves, and others, the way Jesus does … think of how differently we would think, we would act … and, we would talk!

When I act, let me act like Jesus would. It was on these pages that I made the statement that, perhaps, the “thing” to ask is not “What Would Jesus Do?” but, “What Would Jesus Want Me To Do?” … Don’t worry … already working on developing that one …

My words. Ouch! I don’t know about you, but that’s the one that gets me in trouble the most. Not with students … but, with adults. I have so much joy in my heart that, sometimes, I just get too silly … I mean it … this is my biggest area needing improvement. Maybe. And, I don’t mean “trouble” like getting into trouble, just being too silly, or joking around too much. Deep down, I feel like, if I have a reputation for being a joker, how do I then turn it around and be serious, and witness to these same people? I want them, when they see me, to see Jesus, not a joker. To see Christ, not a clown. How about you? Maybe your words aren’t silly … they are sad … We have all known people, who, when they just walk in the room, they bring everyone down. I need to be more sincere, but that doesn’t mean to be negative. It’s just that I have so much joy, and God has blessed me so much, that it spills over … I need to control that … to improve … to get better. To let my words be His Words.

If I can think better, and can speak better, I will act better. So, if I think like Jesus, see myself and others the way Jesus does, and if I speak like Jesus … then it would have to happen that I would act more like Jesus. What a change this would make in tomorrow … the next day … the next day … the whole year. A successful week is a series of successful days … a successful month is a series of successful weeks … and, you get the idea.

One more thought about words: Proverbs 18:21 is right (of course it’s right!): “Life and death are in the power of the tongue.” You just never know how your words may affect others; or, how the words of others may affect you. I wonder if this famous football coach ever thought that his words would be a huge encouragement to Christians around the globe? That God would use his words to spread His Word?

So, for tomorrow … the next day … the next day … the whole Year, let’s follow his advice:
Let’s go in (go to a separate place, away from the crowd, to be alone with God)
Look at the film (Read the Word)
Look for ways to improve (Pray)

Hey! He’s right! If you’ll just do these three things, I guarantee we will all:
Improve
Get Better
Do Better

Blessings to you, and your family.
Now, and always.