After listening to a sermon from my home church, I was inspired to read the book of James. As I read through it I just kept thinking, all the advice he is giving in this book is exactly what we as racers are asked to live in, as part of our World Race culture.
One of the most important aspects of WR culture is giving feedback. We are expected to do this as a team daily. We usually sit in a circle and one by one give positive criticism based on the day’s events. This can be pretty scary at first. Six other people telling you what you could have done better in the day, or how you may have offended a person at some point during the day. As scary or as attacking as it may sound it’s really a wonderful opportunity to grow as a person and team. In the book of James from The Message the very first piece of advice he gives addresses this situation:
Consider the sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.
Often people shy away from feedback, because like myself we have a hard time extending grace to ourselves so we assume others won’t either. However, this is not the case. Feedback is meant to call to the surface how we are living out our faith. If we aren’t doing such a good job then our team mates, who love us, want to see us grow, should be the ones to shed light on that area. For the book of James also says, ”Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life.” (1:12) Feedback is not just about what others have to say towards your growth, it’s also about how you respond. James addresses this issue as well:
Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear. God’s righteousness doesn’t grow from human anger. So throw all spoiled virtue and cancerous evil in the garbage. . . Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don’t act are like
those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea
who they are, what they look like.
Often times the truth can hurt, but facing that allows God to do work in you. The process of feedback allows that work to take place. So when responding, just say thank you; but then think it over and take it to the feet of Jesus for transformation to take place.
This concept of feedback is not just useful here on the race. Families and friendships and churches could also really use this method for clear communication. It’s a way to open dialogue of our perceptions, our expectations, and our bad habits. Perhaps we had no idea we were treating a person without high consideration. Feedback is a way to bring that to the surface. Perhaps we treated a person based on a false perception; feedback airs it out to clear up a false understanding. It can be awkward, ask any racer, but in the end you are a closer, more loving team when it’s done well.
