As you’ve probably learned before, I love quotes. Like, with a passion. In fact, I like them so much I actually subscribe to the Quote of the Day RSS feed from BrainyQuote.com. At about 1 this morning, I’m looking around my RSS feeds and see the new quote of the day. It’s from Pablo Picasso, and it says: “Action is the foundational key to all success.”
Initially, I kind of just brushed the statement off. Then I really got to thinking about it. It’s really true, and very applicable to our ministries. Our world has lots of visionaries. They’re really smart people who tell us what the world could be like if we did this, or how the world would change if only this happened. They’re fascinating to listen to, and we’re enthralled just hearing what they have to say. Leonard Sweet is one of the first visionaries that comes to my mind. (He has an interview in the November/December issue of K!) Visionaries are pretty cool people, in my opinion.
However, for as much as I love our visionaries, they don’t do much. They spend their lives in “what if’s” and “could be’s”, but it’s up to us to actually make it happen. Go back to the Picasso quote. Imagine if Picasso had just spent his life talking about what his paintings could look like and what would happen if he painted them. Needless to say, Picasso certainly wouldn’t have been quite the art celebrity he became. Picasso found success because he acted on a vision.
And that leads very nicely into these two points:
1. Get a vision. I know what you’re thinking. ”But Evan, you just told me to be an action person and not a vision person!” No, I said not to be just a vision person. Action without vision is almost as bad as vision without action. It’s like trying to drive from your hometown to Mexico City without a map. Chances are, something is going to go wrong along the way, and you’ll end up frustrated. But it’s even more serious for you. The lives of children are at stake. You’re not on a road trip. You stand between those children and their eternal destiny. Get a vision. Know what God wants you to do, and how He wants you to do it.
2. Be an actionary. If someone who has a vision is a visionary, then someone who acts on a vision is an actionary! (I learned that one in my homeschooling!) Now, you’ve got a vision. You’re not just running blind. Now don’t just make that vision and stick it away in an office drawer. Post it on your wall, or burn it into your mind. Every action you take centers around the vision. That’s how you’re successful and God-pleasing in your ministry to kids: action.
Why are you still sitting here reading this? Go DO something! Change a life this weekend. The whole KidzMatter staff is praying for you.
