The Power of a Good Checklist

I love a good checklist. That hormonal rush that comes with checking something off of the list is intoxicating. Unfortunately the work I do doesn’t always yield to a check list. I can plan. In fact it is a bit reckless of me to not be strategic in planning out my actions. But although the Holy Spirit always appreciates good planning, that doesn’t mean the Holy Spirit won’t disrupt the plan. Sometimes the spirit needs to. Sometimes someone’s soul depends on that disruption.

I had this week planned out last week (or maybe even longer ago). But a few days ago I got a call from someone battling addiction and needed to talk to someone ASAP.

So I added that to my check list. It seems sterile and uncaring to put this person in need of compassion and care in a time slot or on a check list. Perhaps my addictions need to be looked at as well.

The process of living a life of Holy Mischief includes what I like to call Authentic Activation. Our faith calls us to act - to live out our beliefs. We don’t have to have all the answers before we act. It takes some courage to do the work God’s calls us to do. Sometimes we have to strategically plan that out. We need to put on our checklist the intersection where the things that bring us joy and the world’s needs meet. And then we need to go where God leads us and do those things. Often. Habitually. Methodically.

But sometimes we need to be aware that God might have a checklist too. And we are on it.

Checklists don’t always seem authentic. But I guess that depends on whose checklist it is.

Until Everyone Hears,