Recently, I lived through 3 pretty tough
hunting seasons where everyone I know, except me, had shot deer. On a very cold November morning, I was pretty
excited. I had been sitting in the
stand for an hour before sunrise and had about reached my limit (you know, when you can no longer feel your toes and was angry because you should have put on that extra pair of socks).
Honestly, I had pulled my smart phone out of my pocket and was perusing the
internet -- not the greatest of strategies if you want to shoot a deer. Then, I heard something rustling in the thicket and looked
up. Four deer emerged from that thicket and began to work on my little mineral block completely
oblivious to my presence.
I picked out the largest doe, stood quietly, and readied for a
shot. I drew my bow and followed my normal pre-shot routine. Most
people close an eye to aim, but I do not. I use both eyes to site the bow
and select the proper yardage pin. My last thing I do before releasing
the arrow is to close my non-dominant eye. It creates tunnel vision for
split second as everything around me ceases to exist. That intense
concentration controls my breathing, slows the heart rate, and removes all distractions.
As I let that arrow fly knowing that meat was headed into the freezer, the seconds that followed
did not seem right. That deer did not jump like an arrow had struck her,
and they all bolted. I stood there stunned unsure of what happened, and
the next minute seemed like an eternity. I quickly nocked another arrow
in hopes they would circle back around. As I stood waiting to see what would
happen, I processed the shot and was dumbfounded. Then, I saw it — a
branch about 7 yards from where that deer stood was shaking. My arrow has
hit that branch and deflected immediately off target. Remember what I
said about tunnel vision for a split second? I did not see that branch
and it cost me.
Unfortunately, our spiritual journey with Christ is the same way. When we get caught up in routine (going to church every week or praying at a meal), we fail to see things that can
adversely impact our efforts. The Bible clearly tells us in 1 Peter 5:8 to be sober and vigilant because our adversary is on the prowl looking for ways to trip us up. The aspect of soberness and vigilance reference a status of constant alert and watching. Had I not been surfing the internet but had been examining everything that was around me, I may have seen that branch and then selected a different deer or waited till they moved to a different location. The distraction led to my disaster.
Its the little things that matter most in
accuracy and precision for archery and the little things matter in our Christian walk. In the Old Testament, the wisest man that every lived spoke of the "little foxes that spoil the vines" (Song of Solomon 2:15). The same is true of our lives as Christian men, husbands, fathers, employees, and friends. One of my all-time favorite sayings is this: "snowballs sting but avalanches kill." In other words, deal with things while they are small to avoid the major and costly issues later on down the road.
Stop for just a minute and consider these "little" foxes that creep into your life and are counterproductive in your relationships as a man:
- Thinking that coming to church once in awhile is enough
- Looking down on others because you are not as bad as they are
- Ignoring laundry and dirty dishes because that is "woman's work"
- Investing more time into hobbies than family relationships
- Allowing television to serve as a babysitter for your children
- Focusing on the things you want rather than appreciating what you have been given by God
- Taking more things from your friends than you give back in return
- Adopting a "retirement mentality" regarding service in the church
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