Swinging for the Fences

I’ve had several conversations lately with people, including myself (yes, I totally talk to myself) that find themselves in moments of decision.  Each had a different, risky decision to make and were looking for advice on what to do.

In these kinds of situations I tend to begin with thinking through the pros and cons, analyzing the situation from a logical perspective and going with the decision that will cause me (or the one I’m advising) the least amount of pain.  The problem with this way of making decisions is that it assumes that the best decision is always the least painful one.  We all know that this is a really poor assumption.  Read the story of Joseph, Abraham, David, even Jesus.

I think the real and better question is “what is faith?” and “how do I have it in this situation?”.  I think it’s easy to just analyze the situation, anticipate all the variables, stick a wet finger in the wind and then timidly proceed hoping you made the right call.  I think this is the way most of us live.

What really ends up happening is, in our silly pride, we try to take control of our universe and end up frozen in indecision.  We freeze because it never takes us long to find out that we are incapable of making a perfect decision, and if the results depend on the perfection of the decision and the perfection of the execution then it’s a lost cause.  We get paralyzed by our own inability to foresee and control the future.  So we do nothing, or wait for life to decide for us which always takes us down the path of least resistance.  The path of least resistance leads to mediocrity at best and at worst utter misery.

I see a different way in the Bible.  I see God calling people to take action, swiftly, decisively, and confidently.  I see faith being defined in terms of action not in terms of the quality of the decision or the emotion of the moment.  Not to be mistaken for impulsiveness, but rather a clear response to the outrageous promises of God.  I see God using people that never bunt at the ball, but rather swing for the fences every time the ball comes their way.

I have discovered from personal experience that this creates some messes.  Sometimes serious ones.  It’s not that we do not learn from our messes, and the next time around try to make a better swing.  Humble people learn from their missed swings.  However, I’m more convinced now than ever that staying in the dugout is the worst mistake any of us can make. (pardon me while I beat this baseball analogy to death…)

So, take this as an encouragement.  Whatever you do, swing for the fence.  Humbly learn from your mistakes, but never mistake humility for an unwillingness to take risks and make messes.  Never allow yourself to become paralyzed with indecision because both paths appear too risky or the cost of failure is too great.