Trivial Pursuit
by Tom Ellsworth
Have you ever played the game Trivial Pursuit? Chris Haney and Scott Abbott were playing a round of Scrabble in 1979 when the idea for a new game began to unfold in their minds. Within a few short hours the two friends had mapped out the basics of a game that would sweep across the land like a prairie fire. The only thing about the game that isn’t trivial is its success.
It amazes me the amount of trivial information that bombards our lives on a daily basis. With the advent of the internet such insignificant knowledge has become even more prolific. Honestly, some of this trifling material is really quite interesting. Take a look:
There are 119 grooves on the edge of a quarter.
Scarlett O' Hara, lead character in the classic Gone with the Wind was originally given the name Pansy. “Frankly, Pansy…” Uh, I don’t think so.
Number of places in the United States named after something in the Bible: 61,742.
Some Persian rugs may last as long as 500 years before wearing out.
The loop on a belt that holds the loose end is called a "keeper." (Let’s face it; some are keeping back more than others.)
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, written by Mark Twain, was the first novel ever composed on a typewriter.
Interesting stuff but is your life any better because you now know the groove count on a US quarter? Unfortunately, it is usually the trivial that has a tendency to trump the important. We get caught up in issues which have no lasting value as if they were equal to the weightier matters of faith, family, and Kingdom work. An elder’s challenge? Staying focused on Kingdom priorities in the midst of trivial distractions.
Consider the following thoughts in prioritizing instead of trivializing.
Use some common sense. Humorist Will Rogers wrote, “Common sense ain’t so common.” We may live in a land of plenty, but good judgment is still as scarce as hen’s teeth. Church leadership needs to be wise. Many good ideas will be submitted to leadership, but elders must not view every suggestion as equal in value. Not every idea will equally help a congregation fulfill its God-directed vision. It is paramount that elders use common sense in leading. Invest in those ideas which matter most and will best accomplish the church’s mission. Use some common sense before saying yes to any new challenge. And remember, at times, no is a commonsense answer!
Prioritize your responsibilities. You’ve heard it before, “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” As an elder, you have a limited amount of time and energy to devote to the work of the church so determine what tasks are most important and do those first. Leave the trivial matters for someone else to do. In your leadership role, you cannot afford to let the important Kingdom matters flounder while you tackle the insignificant things first. The critical challenges of the church demand your fresh energy and mental acuity, not your remnant thoughts or exhausted attention. And please remember that the urgent matter isn’t necessarily the most important matter. Urgent and important are not synonymous. This, again, is where wisdom is required. Don’t let others in the church guilt you into doing their bidding; stay focused on the priority at hand. The trivial can always wait.
Never compromise your character. I like what John Morley wrote, “No man can climb beyond the limitations of his own character.” Of all the great US Presidential contributions, the most powerful have always come not from the office but from the president’s character. Our first, George Washington, said, “I hope I shall possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles – the character of an honest man.” You may never be elected to such a high office, but as an elder, you are challenged to live and lead with highest character. Be above reproach - anything less is just a trivial pursuit.
Over the last year, have any situations facing your leadership team developed in which character could have been compromised, just to “make it go away?” How did it resolve?
When did your elder team last get hung up on something trivial or urgent, distracting you from what was truly important?
What are you dealing with as an elder team right now that requires common sense?
