So, the Philadelphia Flyers' season ended tonight with a loss to the New Jersey Devils. This series is living proof that hard work overcomes superior skill. The Flyers’ bread and butter has always been outworking the other team. In this series, even though the Flyers have more skilled forwards, d-men, goalie, and coach, the Devils outworked them…and won the series as a result. They turned the tables on the Flyers’ M.O., and it paid off. On paper, the Flyers should have won this series. But the Devils just worked harder...and won because of it.
As I thought about this, I got thinking about how we live out our faith, and how we "do" ministry. Often we think our lack of skill excuses us from ministering to others. We leave it to those with more training, more experience, more knowledge. Yet the truth unveiled by this Flyers-Devils series is a universal one: hard work often trumps superior skill or knowledge. Sometimes it just requires rolling up our sleeves and doing it.
I run into people who say that they don't share their faith with others because they aren't sure what to say, or how to respond if people ask questions. Yet often this is more of an excuse than a legitimate reason. Sometimes we just have to do it. Talk about our faith in Jesus. Don't be pushy or obnoxious, but do share what God has done/is doing in your life. Do help those in need. Do go serve in some ministry or another. We can't accomplish anything by sitting on the sidelines.
In hockey, battles are won against the boards...whoever works harder at controlling the puck, planting themselves in front of the net, and pushing the other team off their stride, are usually the winners. If they aren't willing to put in the work, they get nowhere. It's a good lesson to learn, and one I need to take to heart myself.
