Learn to Surf.

One of the effects of COVID-19 and the governmental / institutional responses to it is the utter destruction of sports teams’ schedules. Normally, schedules are set in stone months, sometimes years ahead of time. In the USA, the NCAA demands that coaches give their student-athletes daily practice and meeting schedules at least 14 days in advance. Such rigidity has been cast to the wind in recent days. 

The whole world of sport has become incredibly fluid of late. Competition, training, and practice schedules shift by the hour and my phone is constantly buzzing with updates of practice times, games added, games cancelled, coaches being quarantined, and other matters of fluidity. For this 64-year-old dude, who prefers to schedule as much as a year out, this is like nailing Jell-O to the wall. 

For us who serve this community and its constantly shifting schedule, we must be as fluid as the situation demands. To do otherwise will immediately marginalize us and we’ll soon find ourselves on the outside looking in. To resist the tidal flow of this season, rather than to surf on it, will mean that we will soon be drowned by the waves, ineffective, out of touch. 

I doubt that this will be the “new normal”, but for the moment, we must learn to surf. Ride the waves of uncertainty and thereby calm everyone else’s anxiety with your calming presence of assurance. Your loving, serving presence is powerful. Apply your ministry priorities to your daily diary, show up, ride the waves, be flexible, and watch the Lord do marvelous things.