Shortsightedness will always catch up with us. Looking at what’s best for today has its attributes for some things, and yet an eye to the future is also helpful. I was reminded of this again during our master planning process. Our plan is designed to help us look out twenty or so years for practical needs, but also with a longer term eye, knowing that we are a historic congregation that has existed for a very long time and intends to keep existing for a really long time. 

One of the concepts that was raised in the planning process so far, like many of the concepts, had a couple of variations that could be considered. I’m not going to name it because it’s still in a conceptual phase and I don’t want to give the impression it’s done. But, as we discussed this one aspect of the plan, the Vestry and working group unanimously agreed that the more ambitious option made sense with a “100-year” view in mind. A less ambitious, and slightly less expensive option would meet our needs for the near term, yet we all agreed that for a bit more investment now, generations of Christ Church worshippers and guests would benefit from our initiative. The cost differential is great enough that we wouldn’t want to do one now and one later – it’s more cost effective to do the whole thing now. 

My point isn’t to be cryptic, but to highlight that a truly long-term perspective can be helpful. In some cases, it can be absolutely necessary. This is why we embarked on a master planning process in the first place. We recognized that our attempts to address short term needs, while important, could dramatically affect the future. Too often I think we think short term instead of long term, and our shortsightedness can be truly problematic down the road.

Look no further than our current frustrations around development and traffic. Our local government has not always had a long-term plan and has found itself trying to play catch up with its infrastructure. Or, look to Washington, where life revolves around reelection campaigns, campaigns that overlap, so that even for senators with their long terms, life is a big campaign.  Such thinking has led to real partisan divides because posturing and fighting makes sense in the short term. But our shortsightedness has allowed so many initiatives, and so many issues, and so many people to fall through the deep, wide cracks it creates.

Wall Street is notorious for its increasing shortsightedness with trading bots and derivatives and an insatiable appetite for gains before the closing bell. This is part of what led to the last meltdown in the economy; a widespread failure to consider the long term implications of financial practices that seemed to be profitable in the short term. I would also point to some of the environmental science initiatives that can get lost or misunderstood in the short term. We crow about cold winters in the midst of “global warming,” as proof that the science is bunk. But there is no debating that the overall temperature of the earth is rising. The shortsightedness of avoiding climate science will catch up with us too.

Jesus once challenged the crowds to consider the long term before they began to follow him. You may recall his questions about building a tower and making sure we count the cost before beginning, lest we come up short. And his reference to going to war without first determining if we have what it takes to win, lest we lose. He wants people to realize that there is a cost to following, and one that we have to think through before diving in. If we thought long term, we’d probably make different decisions. I think Jesus’ point was to be intentional and thoughtful. He knew well enough that some of the seed he was sowing would fall on sandy soil, grow quickly, and then wither. What he wanted was that deep rich soil that comes with consideration and intention. He didn’t want shortsighted followers.

I wish I had the cure for shortsightedness. I don’t. I think we can learn to be more introspective, more responsive and less reactive. I think that in order to make the best long-term decisions, we have to do a better job of putting our wants and desires on hold. Sometimes we have to spend more or have less in the short term to see the outcome we really hope to see. I think there is a fundamental aspect to being a long-term person that involves selflessness. Serving ourselves first is often a shortsighted issue (to a point – the whole “put on your oxygen mask first” thing is true). 

This life of ours is a crazy mix of short and long range living. “Give us today our daily bread,” and yet also let, “your kingdom come.” Just that one prayer captures the tension between short and long term thinking and praying. The long term is likely to be the harder decision. It will require patience, faith, trust, and whole lot more. But it’s worth it. If we can pursue what is best for the community and the Kingdom in the long term, I don’t think we’ll regret it. 

Tom+

Lord, we desire to place ourselves and what we are about to undertake in thy hands.  Guide, direct, and prosper us, we beseech thee; and if thou seest that this undertaking will be for thy glory, grant us good success. Make us and those who act with us to feel that, unless thy blessing is with us, we cannot succeed, and that, except the Lord build this house, their labor is but lost that build it. Direct us, then, O Lord, in this and all our doings with thy most gracious favor, and further us with thy continual help, that in all our works begun, continued, and ended in thee, we may glorify thy Name, through Jesus Christ. Amen.