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When talking about effectiveness, one arena has a literal built-in measure: sports! As a Clemson grad, I’m proud that our football team has done really well the past few years! But basketball? Not so much. So our family tends to follow Duke–a highly successful program which does, to borrow a phrase from yesterday’s Ewellogy, expect to be effective.

But even Duke sometimes has an off night as they did on February 12, 2019, when they found themselves down by 23 points to Louisville with under 10 minutes to play. (My son David keeps me up on such things!) The score was 59 – 36, Louisville’s probability of winning at that point was computed at 99.8%, and Duke won the game.

Part of why they won, in addition to the fact that Duke really is the superior team, is a mindset that they expect to be effective. Coach K called a time out with 9:54 left and told them that he really didn’t like coaching losers. “But you’re not losers; you’re winners–that’s why you’re on this team.” The team went out and outscored Louisville 35 – 10 in the remaining 9:54, winning the game 71 – 69. This despite the fact that the probability chart was against them until the very end!

Surely, “it’s just a game.” I get that. But one application is clear. We are on the winning team:

You are of God, little children, and have overcome them because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. (1 John 4.4, NKJV)

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. (Revelation 12.11, NKJV)

Another lesson is, as Churchill said, “Never give up!”

With all this going for us, my dear, dear friends, stand your ground. And don’t hold back. Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort. (1 Corinthians 15.58, MSG)