Finishing Well
We have been in a quarantined, shelter-in-place mode for seven-plus weeks. How are you doing?
For the first couple days of this shut-down, I was eagerly anticipating a rest. But the first few weeks brought exhaustion as we dealt with problems, possibilities and new ways of connecting. Then I became more tense; not overwhelmed, but clearly whelmed.
I was putting the trash cans out on the curb a couple weeks ago when I realized my agitation level was high.
I glared at the mess that is the house across the street. They had six cars parked in various places in their vicinity—and in ours. One of the cars was up on blocks. They haven’t mowed the lawn since the Obama administration. Their noise-level was becoming increasingly bothersome too. In that moment, it hit me that being sheltered at home had emptied much of my reservoir of grace. I said a quick prayer and went back into the house.
Seven weeks in, I’d say I’m getting antsy.
Many indicators point to us being past the worst of the coronavirus pandemic. We have seen the curve flatten. Hospitals are not overwhelmed. Death rates are going down, and twenty-five states have started to open up somewhat.
You can take a midnight train to Georgia to go bowling. You can go back to the gym in Tennessee. You can go to Oklahoma and chase a tornado.
Here in California, the governor announced that we can now watch sunsets (was that illegal?!) Hopefully we’ll be able to go back to work, back to our favorite restaurants and back to normal life before long.
Here’s the question, how can we finish this season well?
“There are two kinds of people, those who finish what they start and so on.” - Robert Byrne
Dr. J. Robert Clinton, professor at Fuller Seminary did a study of male leadership in the Bible and determined that only 30% of them finished well. Amazingly, I saw another study this week that said 70% of people don’t finish well.
What do we do when it’s time to finish?
A big key to finishing well is to start well. Get a good launch and finishing is easier. Another secret to finishing well is to middle well. If you handle the middle laps well, the sprint at the end is set up for success.
The good news or bad news is that these tips apply if we’re getting ready to end the shelter-in-place, or even if we are still in the thick of it.
Let’s look at some hints from the Apostle Paul on how we can finish well. Paul wrote to several churches when he was in actual lockdown in Rome. He was permitted to live in his own rented dwelling, though bound with a chain and in the company of a guard. He could receive visitors - presumably as long as they wore a mask and stayed six-feet away - and he could talk to people about Jesus.
He wrote to the church in Colossae; a church he didn’t start and never visited, because he heard that they were drifting a bit. And as he finishes this letter, he tells us how to finish well:
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act towards outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. - Colossians 4:2-6 (NIV)
Tips for Finishing Well
1. Stay Prayerful
There are a lot of things we cannot do while we shelter-in-place. We can’t go to a baseball game, we can’t work out at the gym, we can’t visit our elderly relatives. But one thing we can do is pray.
I told you that I lifted up a quick prayer about our neighbors expanding domain. A couple days later, as we were finishing a walk, Lori and I were approached by one of the residents of that often irritating house across the street. “I have bad news,” young man said. “I’m moving out.” We tried to hide our delight, he continued. “Two other roommates are coming with me…and at least three of these cars will be gone too.” I almost jumped for joy. Then he asked, “Do you know any gardeners who could clean up the lawn?” I almost fell over.
This past week a gardener came to the house across the street and mowed the grass. I watched through our front window. Then the worker took out an edger. That lawn has never seen an edger. I went out on the front porch and watched with tears emerging as our property value increased with each cut.
Here’s the point, God answers prayer. Even the little ones.
But also the hard ones.
Epaphras, a member of your own fellowship and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. He always prays earnestly for you, asking God to make you strong and perfect, fully confident that you are following the whole will of God. I can assure you that he prays hard for you. - Colossians 4:12-13 (NLT)
We see an example from Paul’s letter of someone praying hard, praying earnestly. As society begins to open up, let’s up our prayer game.
One thing we can pray about is for us to see and seize the opportunities….
2. Stay Alert
Make the most of every opportunity!
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act towards outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. - Colossians 4:3-5 (NIV)
Even before businesses open up, there are incredible opportunities opening up before us.
I heard a study that one-third of Americans say this pandemic has strengthened their faith. About a quarter of folks say they are now more open to spiritual things.
3. Stay Graceful
Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. - Colossians 3:5 (NIV)
It is so tempting to go off on the neighbors, or berate the politicians, or retaliate on that person in line who insists they know six-foot distances better than you. But Paul suggests putting some salt on our speech. We can continue to do that as this trial winds down.
4. Stay Connected
Ken Boa works with prisoners. He says, “People who finish well do not do so without the caring support of other people. These relationships help us to maintain the needed disciplines, clarify our long-term perspective, sustain a teachable attitude, and develop our purpose and calling.”
I’m amazed at Paul’s final remarks in this letter:
Tychicus will give you a full report about how I am getting along…I am also sending Onesimus, …Aristarchus, who is in prison with me, sends you his greetings, and so does Mark, Barnabas’s cousin…Jesus (the one we call Justus) also sends his greetings…Epaphras, a member of your own fellowship and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings… Luke,the beloved doctor, sends his greetings, and so does Demas. Please give my greetings to our brothers and sisters at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church that meets in her house. After you have read this letter, pass it on to the church at Laodicea so they can read it, too. And you should read the letter I wrote to them. And say to Archippus, “Be sure to carry out the ministry the Lord gave you.” HERE IS MY GREETING IN MY OWN HANDWRITING—PAUL. Remember my chains.
May God’s grace be with you. - Colossians 4:8-18 (NIV)
It is amazing how many people Paul talked about who were sending their greetings. After all, wasn’t he in prison? It is possible to stay connected even when we are staying at home.
How? The old-fashioned way - Paul wrote letters. So, let’s write…letters, email, texts… We can also call. And keep lean into new strategies for connecting like Zoom, no matter how “Zoomed out” we feel.
We may be in the middle, we may be at the end, but either way let’s pray, watch, show grace and connect.