The wisdom of inefficiency

Let's say you and your spouse are preparing to adopt a baby from Asia. You have worked for months to navigate the twists and turns of the adoption process. When you were matched with a little boy, you prayerfully accepted. That kicked into gear all the final preparations -- buying baby clothes, packing baby supplies, packing your own things, updating your passports, getting shots, preparing your complex itinerary, studying maps, and wondering -- endlessly wondering -- what this experience will bring, both good and bad. This has been an extraordinary few months. You are revved up but running on fumes.

You are scheduled to leave for your flight out of the USA on 6:00 AM on Friday morning. What do you do on Thursday night? Double check all your preparations? Rest up, anticipating the aches and pains of being stuck for more than 20 hours in coach seats the next day?

Either of these choices would make complete sense, but our friends Nate and Lindsey elected "none of the above." They came to our Life Group for a meal together and a prayerful send-off. Are they foolishly short-sighted or uncommonly wise?


Their decision to come to Life Group wasn't about what is most efficient. It was about nurturing the deeper part of themselves. They wanted to be in community with people who are sharing the journey of this adoption with them both emotionally and spiritually. In the end, spiritual community outweighed double-checking or resting up.

They gravitated toward doing something that would most deeply shape who they will be when they get to see their son for the first time. Often uncommon wisdom leads toward choices that are least efficient.

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