Jerry Sittser, continuing from his book “the Will of God as a Way of Life” taught about “Balance. . . .”
* Balance II (Continued from a previous post)
Many Christian leaders whose names are household words have accomplished great things for God but have failed as husbands or wives, fathers or mothers, or friends. They took advantage of the loyalty of their spouses without giving much in return, neglected their children because they were too busy, and used—or betrayed—their friends. I have watched several Christian leaders at a distance and observed with great sadness the contradiction between their public ministry and their private life.
Yet no one can deny the good they have done, the vision they have brought to the church, and the success of their ministries. Balance is a principle, but it is not a law. We should strive for balance but recognize that it is not always possible. For one thing, some people do not have it in them. They all too easily hurt others and themselves for the sake of their calling. But God is gracious enough to bless their work anyway. I am not convinced that the apostle Paul himself lived a balanced life, nor was he always pleasant to work with (as Mark, his protégé, discovered during their first missionary journey).
Nevertheless, however often it is violated, the principle of balance is still applicable. We should maintain a balance in life that reflects the will of God. We may have too much to do and not enough time in which to do it, but if we strive for balance, we will create an order to our lives that reflects good priorities. Family will become more important than hobbies; friendship and service will hold careers in check; our concern for people will temper our passion for truth and vision for ministry. Good priorities will set a course for our lives and guide the choices we make along the way.
I strive to strike what I would call a “realistic” balance in my own life. Sometimes I have had to work long hours for the college, but I have known that they would come to an end, too. I try to warn my kids when busy times are approaching. After they are over, we may celebrate by going out for dinner together. Likewise, I have coached my boys in weekend soccer tournaments, which means playing four or even five scheduled games in two days. But then I cancel practice the next Monday to compensate and give some time off. What is most important is the overall pattern. Short-term imbalance is inevitable; long term imbalance is destructive—to spiritual life, to family, to friendships, and to self. ~Jerry Sittser, the Will of God as a Way of Life (Zondervan: Grand Rapids, 2000,2004), 195-196
