11-14-21 Numbers Game
Quote: “If you keep focusing on who left and what’s lost, you are not going to see who’s lost and what’s left.” – Steven Furtick
When I was in college studying to get my early childhood education degree, I remember there was one thing that all my professors used to repeat over and over. They’d say, “With children, it’s all about the process, not the product. It’s about quality not quantity.” I never understood the depth of this until I was mom and a kindergarten teacher. It takes children what seems like forever to learn simple tasks, such as holding a pencil, writing their name, and learning the sounds of the letters. The growth at this age is so small and very slow. They enjoy the process of what they’re doing and most of the time, don’t have much interest in the final product. They just like being messy and trying new things, rather than trying to get it right every time. They focus on being in the moment.
Adults tend to be different.
We often like to know the endgame. If there is a carrot to dangle, we want that visual. The weight loss chart, the countdown of days until a vacation, the checking of a bank account balance. While children are motivated by enjoying the journey, most of us can say we are encouraged by knowing how far it is to the finish line. We are distracted easily by the obstacles.
Sometimes, people come in and out of our lives so fast it makes our head spin. We connected for a brief moment and then it fizzled out. We tried the relationship on for size and it just wasn’t a good fit. And then they moved on, sometimes leaving a bit of a hole. Or we had a big traumatic event and got the short end of the stick. Life changed and there’s this emptiness that sometimes feels like it’s going to swallow you whole.
That’s why this quote is so impactful. If we focus on those who walked away or the things that were stripped from us, we can only see the pain. We wallow in what could have been and what should have been. It’s definitely okay to grieve… but we can’t stay there.
In the book of Ezra in the Old Testament, the people were beginning to build a beautiful temple. They were so excited! It says in Ezra 3:11, “…And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.” They weren’t just waiting until the end when the temple was fully complete. They were shouting because the first beams were in place! They were enjoying the process and focusing on what was happening right then. They weren’t grumbling about how much more there was to build. Instead they were praising the Lord right where they were at, right in the middle of the mess.
We need to take a look around and see who didn’t leave. Who’s always been there. Who is steady, never wavering. The things we do have. The things we have that we take for granted, that many would love to have.
You see, it’s a numbers game. If we each had kept a list of all the blessings God has given us, the list would be a mile long. And I bet on that list would be people who have supported us since day one. We need to instead shift our focus to the things and people we have right in front of us, right now.
The rearview mirror is small for a reason. Look back to adjust as needed. Then focus on the amazing windshield in front of you!
