Doing Too Much

I never imagined that I would EVER be even remotely close to advocating the course of action that stands as the subject of this blog. I incline to the view that far too many people do too little, or just enough to get by. I have observed that far too many people have a simple, often unconscious formula for success that usually includes some combination of minimum effort with the expectation of maximum results. It seems that most of us prefer to avoid anything that looks like struggle, or smells like sacrifice. This attitude has even crept into our understanding of Christianity. H. Richard Niebuhr once famously defined much of American Christianity as an faith where “a God without wrath brought men without sin into a kingdom without judgment through the ministrations of a Christ without a cross.” We are always trying to take the “hard” part out.

Everyone wants to be in a great relationship. Except for the hard part of being accountable.

Everyone wants to the Boss. Except for the hard part of making tough decisions.

Everyone wants to be in shape. Except for the hard part of eating more fruits and vegetables.

Everyone wants to be rich. Except for the hard part of saving.

But while I was working out in the gym last week, I saw a hilarious video clip that has matured my perspective. The clip aired on the February 23 episode of SportsCenter during the “Not Top Ten" segment that is featured every Friday on ESPN. You can watch the clip here (starting at 2:30—and PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE watch it). I doubt that I have ever seen anything more sadly tragic or ridiculously funny.

The clip shows the highly regarded, extremely talented, much celebrated Andre Jason Blake (who plays as a goalkeeper for the Philadelphia Union of Major League Soccer and captains the Jamaica national team) doing entirely too much. A player from the opposing team was approaching the net, and took a shot that clearly had little to no chance of going in. All Andre had to do was wait by the net. Instead, he charged toward the ball, leaped as high he could, contorted his body with inexplicable gyrations, and watched as the ball meandered by into the net. He literally could have stayed on the ground and waited. But no! For some unimaginable reason, he did too much.

Watching that clip made me reevaluate several of my decisions, revise several of my strategies, and rethink several of my philosophies. It occurred to me that life is hard enough without us adding any difficulty to the equation. Yes,, we often endeavor to take the hard part out. But many of us are guilty of the converse: we often endeavor to add the hard part in. Here’s a question: in what areas of my life am I doing too much?

In his book “What Got You Here Won’t Get You There,” Marshall Goldsmith says that leaders must realize that they can inadvertently inhibit the growth of their organizations when they add too much value. The same goes for spouses, friends, parents, teachers, and coaches. Sometimes we can do too much for people—which fosters co-dependency in them and builds resentment in us. But not only can we add to much value. We can add too much time, too much attention, and too much salt. LOL.

This idea of “doing too much” also meets us in the scriptures. Jesus once went to visit two sisters named Mary and Martha. According to Luke 10:38-42, this is what happenned:

As they continued their travel, Jesus entered a village. A woman by the name of Martha welcomed him and made him feel quite at home. She had a sister, Mary, who sat before the Master, hanging on every word he said. But Martha was pulled away by all she had to do in the kitchen. Later, she stepped in, interrupting them. “Master, don’t you care that my sister has abandoned the kitchen to me? Tell her to lend me a hand.”

The Master said, “Martha, dear Martha, you’re fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing. One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it—it’s the main course, and won’t be taken from her.”

Martha was doing too much. She was doing so much that the scriptures say that she was missing the main course: sitting at the feet of Jesus. Martha was so busy doing the “work” of the Lord, that she ignored the “Lord” of the work. There is a little bit of Martha is each of us. But let us seek to never sacrifice what is essential. One of the favorite expressions of a very wise man I know is that “somethings are nice, but they aren’t necessary.”

Maybe you’re doing too much.

Take heed—or the enemy might score.