In an interview with Erin Andrews before the Super Bowl, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft said, “The hottest thing in life is closing. Most people can’t do the last 5, 10% of a task.” Often in life and even more often when we are submitted to God’s plan we don’t know how the journey is supposed to end so there is always a danger that we will stop at the 80% mark or maybe lower. Those of us that stop at the 80% mark may have submitted to the idea that we can’t be or attain greatness. Greatness can occur gradually and other times it seems to happen instantaneously. No matter the case, when you really examine the process of achieving greatness it is always the sum of minor moments and smaller successes.
Having a love and passion for perfecting the small things will make the larger goals possible. Mother Teresa once said, “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” The love we have for what we have been called to do should be expressed in our devotion to even the most miniscule tasks. For example, when my stepdad and I were finishing our basement we had to carry drywall and lay carpet. We also connected the plumbing and cut 2 x 4’s. The rule that he drilled into my head was “measure twice and cut once.” Because we wanted the end result to be perfect and functional we took our time during the process. We took care to do the little things well so that the end result would be great. However, had I not told you this and you came to the house to see the basement, many of the little things we did would not be noticeable. I suppose that is the point. What do you do everyday when no one is watching that helps you perfect yourself and your purpose so that when everyone is watching they see your gift expressed in the best light?
The goal is to ‘finish’. But don’t get so focused on finishing quickly that you skip steps in the process or give up early. You may have heard clearly from God regarding your assignment or your purpose. You may also have begun to take the necessary steps to reach that goal. You may not realize it, but you have come a long way. If you could see your life from His perspective you may even be 85% towards completing the task He needs you to complete. It is at this point that many get frustrated and quit. It may seem like God stopped speaking all of a sudden. But God is focused. My mentor told me that He won’t tell you to do something else until you finish the first thing He told you to do. In other words, He’s only on hold because you put Him there.
Jonah 1:1-3 says, “Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 ‘Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.’ 3 But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.” You know the story. Jonah did the opposite of what he was told to do and was swallowed by the whale for three days. All of chapter 2 is Jonah crying out to the Lord. The Lord speaks to the whale and tells it to regurgitate Jonah. Notice God still hasn’t spoken to Jonah because, as I stated, He won’t tell you to do something else until you do the first thing you were told to do.
Chapter 3:1-2 begins, “Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2 ‘Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you.’ 3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord.” The Lord gave the exact same command. He didn’t change His mind. He waited on Jonah to change his.
It is time to stop waiting for God to get on our program and for us to fully submit to His. Sometimes we, like Jonah, consciously avoid an assignment. It may be due to fear, envy, low self-esteem, lack of faith in our ability, laziness, or forgetfulness. Identify and correct the things that are preventing you from completing the last 5-10% and approach each small task along the way with great love.