Count the cost.
I always learn new stuff when we do a bike tour…mostly it’s not about riding bikes. One big lesson for 2017 seems to be about culture and the cost of every choice.
As a teacher I believed every kid could learn mathematics. “Some people just don’t think that way” is nonsense. Research proves that we create “kids who can’t learn math” by the way we teach and the messages we send.
However, that doesn’t mean learning math is easy. Big difference between “you can do this” and “you’re willing to do what it takes to do this.”
Early in my career I was, sadly, sometimes guilty of talking students into classes when they weren’t ready to do the work. I minimized the apparent “cost” to get them in the door, hoping I could motivate them. Often the results were less than stellar.
I learned that students (and I!) were better off understanding reality before signing up so they could count the cost of their decision.
In several ways, 2017 FREEDOM TOUR taught me a similar lesson.
I want everyone to be part of the journey. I get so excited about what we’re doing, the fun, the community, the relationships, and I want everyone to experience the joy and satisfaction. That’s a good thing, but I have to be careful.
Just like learning math, the FREEDOM TOUR isn’t easy. There’s sweat and sacrifice and times you wonder why in the world you’re doing this. I have this tendency when I talk to someone to gloss over the tough spots because I don’t want to scare them away.
What I’m really doing is denying the opportunity to count the cost.
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Every choice comes with a cost. Signing up costs time, effort, money, sacrifice, all sorts of things. Staying home has costs as well. You pay for staying home with regret and lost opportunity.
I said yesterday it’s always a choice between fear and love. FEAR tells me I’m responsible for who signs up. I have to build the “right” team, even if it means coercing people a bit. Not the best way to form a team of servant leaders.
Love lets me do my best and trust God for the outcome. Love takes the focus away from me and allows me to serve others with no agenda.
Every choice comes with a cost.
Might be good to count the cost when we pick fear or love.