Preparation Details are Always Important

I am always intrigued by the amount of time taken in a baseball game for preparation. The set up by the pitcher, the antics by the batter, the movements by the infielders and outfielders—everyone is busy getting ready. Sometimes this seems to take several minutes, and for what—a one-second shot at a strike, a ball or a hit.

I find this rather amazing, that so much preparation takes place for a one-second action. What might this say to us concerning ministry? Do we realize that effective work requires lots of preparation, not only long before the action occurs, but immediately preceding or in fact as an on-going part of the action?