Tackling Big Problems with a Simple Solution

Spiritual Advantage with Sam Stone

I am not fond of SMART goals because they are too mundane and meager. In case you don’t know, a SMART goal means using the word SMART as an acronym to set goals. SMART represents Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

It’s a good starting point, but not for leaders because leaders set problem-solving goals. They identify a problem and try to solve it. Sometimes, a problem can be enormous. In that case, the SMART goal strategy doesn’t apply because it requires you to set “Achievable” goals.

We are in an election cycle now. You don’t hear the candidates talking about their SMART goals. Each of them tries to solve some monumental national or regional problems. Whoever has the best policies and capability to solve the issues will get my vote.

What problem are you trying to solve? Last week, I talked about Bob Peirce, who felt called to solve the massive orphanage problem after the war and founded World Vision. Young and penniless, if Bob Pierce had set a SMART goal, he would have concluded that solving the orphanage problem was not SMART because it was beyond his ability to achieve.

However, Bob Pierce knew, it was achievable by relying on God. Jesus wants us to solve significant problems rather than set SMART goals. In today’s scripture lesson, Jesus tested Philip by asking him how to feed a crowd of five thousand people following them.

When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” (Jn 6:5–6).

According to Mark, Jesus was training his disciples to become apostles. Disciples are followers, but apostles are leaders. (I mentioned this last week.) Jesus was teaching them to be leaders who solve problems. He wanted them to be scholars rather than students.

How would you solve the problem if you were Philip?

Philip answered him, “Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” (Jn 6:7).

I checked online, and the average monthly wage in the United States is about $5,000. That means even $30,000 worth of food would not be enough to feed them. Philip used the SMART goal, and he knew it was not achievable. They couldn’t afford it.

Jesus doesn’t allow his disciples or apostles to have a limited mindset. Have you ever settled for less because of your limited mindset? I am sure we all do, but Jesus wants to stretch our mental limits and think far outside the box.

What problem is God calling you to solve, and what limitation are you encountering? Time, talent, or treasure? Do you have limited time? Limited talent? Or limited finance? Jesus wants us to think outside of those limits.

Jesus doesn’t want us to set SMART goals. He wants us to set Miracle Goals. That’s what godly leaders do. They make miracles by thinking outside of human limits—not just thinking outside of the limits but acting outside of the limits.

When you think and act outside those limits, you discover that they don’t exist at all and realize that you arbitrarily set those limits. When you have a breakthrough like that, you witness a miracle. Jesus wants us to set Miracle Goals.

In today’s scripture lesson, Jesus fed five thousand people using minimal resources. We will learn from this miracle the profound lessons of discipleship leadership to solve insurmountable problems and to move mountains. Let’s begin!