We’ve all heard the saying, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” This is a great saying and to an extent, I agree! Why change something that works just the way it is? In saying that, sometimes something doesn’t have to be completely broken for it to not work as well as it used to or as it should. Take for instance a car. When you first buy a brand new car, there is literally nothing wrong with it! Everything is new and therefore operates perfectly. After a few years however, wear and tears are inevitable. The car still works, but it needs to be maintained. Oil changes, tire rotations, brake inspections are just a few of the things needed in order to keep a car running well! Most things are like this. Just because it still runs, does not necessarily mean it is working exactly as it should.
As I work on our summer schedule for Hope Kids, I have to ask myself, what worked and what could have been better? Was this event worthy of everyone’s time? Did this event make the impact we had hoped for? Is what we’re doing still aligning with the mission that God gave us? Just because it worked for a couple of years, does not mean it will keep working that way without maintenance. It is absolutely crucial that we weigh and maintain what we do in order to keep the effectiveness. Sometimes, things run their course and it’s time to enter a new season.
What about our families? As our kids grow older and enter new phases in their lives, are we moving with them? Things we did when they were toddlers do not necessarily work as they grow into teenagers. Are you checking in and adjusting accordingly or are you expecting things to remain as they always have?
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven; a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek , and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.” Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (ESV)
There is a time and a season for everything. Just because it isn’t broken, does not mean it’s working as it should. Life evolves and so do people, we need to make sure that we are checking in and inspecting what we do and why.
Janelle