Fresh eyes, Young Hearts, and the 2023 Reds
I don’t know how much you follow the Cincinnati Reds, but they are ridiculously exciting to watch right now. It is a team made of young, talented, athletes who seemingly play as hard as they can for the game they love.
It is must-see TV, and I’m here for all of it!
As I watched another game and cheered, even despite the loss, I was thinking a lot about the church. And specifically, when someone new comes to the faith.
In the weird logic of my brain, I relate it to the 2023 Reds. Young, fresh eyes, full hearts, and an exuberance that just makes you want to cheer. When someone new comes to the faith they are doing all the things to grow, they are working hard, they are figuring it out. It is so exciting!
What does this have to do with you as a leader?
It’s only to remind you of this; the more senior you are in an organization the further away you get from the freshest eyes.
If you find yourself in a season where you feel drained, run-down, and old, maybe the best remedy is to do some intentional work to be around the freshest eyes. To regain the majesty of being new, before you didn’t know all the crazy behind-the-scenes stuff. Maybe the cure is to bring someone new to the faith, disciple a recent convert, or start a group with young adults.
Sometimes I think we are so busy doing the work of organizing ministry, we don’t actually do any ministry.
This summer, I just want to encourage you - find some people with fresh eyes, and invite them into your life. It just might help you hit a home run (pun intended).