Control is usually associated with fear, fear stands for F.alse E.vidence A.ppearing R.eal, most people tend to take control when they think an outcome will not turn out the way they want it to. Make sense? More on that for another blog though.
When I was in college (in the 70's), I competed on a Nationally ranked wrestling team. I was not very good, but I made the team every year! We had one of the best coaches in the U.S.. and I learned many life lessons from him. Let me share one.
During my Junior year I had lost 3 matches in a row which I had never done ever my whole career, and we were about to compete in a Big tournament that we had a shot at winning. Sadly I didn't place, after my second loss I left the arena and found a place where no one would find me, I lost it emotionally! Much to my surprise my coach found me, knowing I was not at a good place with my athletic career. He asked me 2 questions, the first was "what are the chances there are better wrestlers out there than you?" I said "obviously". Next he asked, "what are the chances there are worse wrestlers than you?" I responded with "I sure would like to wrestle one right now because I could use a win". Next he asked if I did everything I could to be an excellent wrestler, like practice all my moves, do the extra conditioning workouts, eat well and get rest, I said yes. He went and said, "Kevin, you have control over 2 things, your attitude and your effort, you have no control over whether there are better or worse wrestlers than you, but you do have control over your attitude and effort. Do your best, your absolute best and leave the results alone." To be honest my psyche was too wounded to grasp this life changing conversation at the moment, but later I got it.
A week or so later all 12 of us pinned our competition and it was a perfect team score, a rare feat! After arriving on campus from a long and celebration filled van ride, Coach told us to get our practice gear on and meet him in the wrestling room. He worked us to the bone for the next 45 minutes. He told us it was the worst effort he had ever witnessed from one of his teams and our attitudes were prideful and arrogant. I was a bit confused still. A week after that we lost 2 matches in one day, to the University of Illinois and Indiana State, much larger schools than ours by far, but we lost them just the same. As we got back home from a very silent van ride, he told us he was never more proud of a Taylor Wrestling team, and even the opposing coaches wanted to know how our coach got maximum effort and such great team chemistry out of his wrestlers.
It was then that I got the truth. You and I may be great at some things, but not give our best and the satisifacation in this is hollow. Or we could be terrible at other things but give max effort even though the results are not good but arrive at a place of peace knowing we did our very best. in the book of Colossians it says; "whatever you do, do as unto the Lord" The Greek word there is Arete' and it means effort worthy of God. Results and outcomes, relationships and finances may not turn out the way we want, but if we give God honoring effort and Christ-like attitude we can KNOW that's what truly matters.
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