The Importance Of Showing Up

The Importance of Showing Up

Jesus returned to the Sea of Galilee and climbed a hill and sat down. A vast crowd brought to him people who were lame, blind, crippled, those who couldn’t speak, and many others. They laid them before Jesus, and he healed them all. Matthew 15:29-30

Woody Allen is quoted as saying, “Eighty percent of success in life is just showing up.”

I think that’s an overstatement, because a lot would be riding on that other 20 percent. But there’s a truth in that saying that I resonate with. Today’s verses give an account in one of the Gospels of people showing up to be with Jesus. As word of Jesus’ ministry spread, crowds gathered, some with high expectations and some just wanting to see Him for the first time. Jesus was accessible, maybe even more than they thought possible. Jesus showed up.

That is one of the things that Clyde Christensen, Mark Merrill, and I have discovered with All Pro Dad over the years: some of the best times with family are unplanned, the times just when you’re present.

When you show up.

I’m not an expert on the subject, and certainly I have my share of regrets for not showing up for my family during my coaching career. Too often the demands of my job stole time from my family. Sometimes it was unavoidable; other times I simply scheduled too much of my time at the office, coaching and preparing for the next game, rather than at home with Lauren, watching our children grow. The expectations of the team and coaching staff were too great for me to—I hate saying the words now—“waste time” at home by simply being there. When there was nothing scheduled or no particular occasion to show up for, like a birthday or school play, work took top priority.

As time passed and the children got older, I changed. Do you need to change? When I retired and got to spend even more time at home, I couldn’t believe how much fun I had doing simple things with my family. I was blessed to be able to “retire” at age fifty-three, but many of us never get to be home enough. You never know what you might miss when you’re not there—a baby tooth falling out, a word spoken for the first time, the look of excitement after swimming across the pool without help. Small miracles, but miracles everyone can see together.

Uncommon Key > Spend time with your family and loved ones—for no reason at all but to be there. You will witness miracles you might otherwise miss forever.