Last week we saw amazing pictures on social media of the incredible amounts of snow that fell in Eastern Canada – sometimes over 2 feet in just one snowfall!

Maybe you’ve seen the same stories circulating of people working for hours to dig out their car, only to find they can’t get in, or can’t get it started.  It’s very frustrating, of course.  They finally call for help, and the two truck driver sometimes comes along and asks a simple question, “Are you sure this is your car?”

Of course it’s not.  They’ve just fought for hours with a brush and scraper, then keys and more, to access the wrong car.  This kind of misspent energy happens all the time.

I was once asked by a Bishop to lead a committee, and to represent that group on a strategic planning committee.  As the strategic plan was implemented, there was talk of my committee merging with another, which I thought was a horrible idea.  I’d been asked by the Bishop to represent this committee, so I fought tooth and nail to convince those present that it made no sense to merge.  I did research, got expert opinions, and made convincing arguments.

This is a pattern for me.  If I am certain someone’s wrong, I won’t give up making my case until they agree.  It’s definitely not always a good thing, it’s something I need to work on, but regardless, it’s what I did here!

In the end, I won, and the committee chairs kept the two groups separate.  After that final meeting, I remember excitedly telling someone I had crushed that terrible idea, and he said, “You know that was the Bishop’s idea, right?|

What?  I thought I was doing what he’d wanted!  He was sitting right there in all those meetings!  I had no idea I was arguing with him, as I argued with those who worked for him.  Oops.

This week, we’ll study the story of a fighter, someone who never gave up.  But in a surprise ending, he realized he’d been fighting the wrong opponent!

Question: Have you ever fought for something, then realized it was the wrong goal, or the wrong target?

 

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