Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men. Prov 22:29

It's fascinating to observe individuals, corporations, teams, volunteers or even nations employing eternal principles to attain success in the natural realm.

Coach Bill Belichick's process, as I observe it, employs clear and concise elements:

Winning is Hard. Winning is Good. It's what we do. It's why we're here. Orient your time, energy and resources to this end . . . follow me, and I will make you NFL champions.

• Clarity of Purpose: you were chosen . . .

• Merely wearing a Patriot uniform wins you nothing, it gives you the chance to work harder than you thought you could.

• You must believe - Buy in.

• You must do your job - No Excuses.

• You must commit without reservation - Spare no effort toward reaching the objective.

• Everyone is valuable - No superstars.

• You must be unselfish.

• You must be coachable (Accept and appropriately apply correction and criticism).

• You must be fully accountable for your attitudes and actions.

• You must continuously strive to improve your skills - your team depends on you.

• Practice like you mean it.

• Stay the course. Be positive, don't quit.

• Always encourage your teammates by your example.

• A unified team accomplishes far more than a group of highly skilled, self-serving individuals.

• If each of us does these things faithfully, we will win.

• Patriots Post-2017 Super Bowl motto: "NO DAYS OFF!"

• If you are unwilling to follow this plan, we cannot afford you. You will be invited to underperform somewhere else.

While analogies break down at some point, Jesus praised the use of excellent practices to accomplishing even natural goals:
And his master praised the unrighteous manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light. Lk 16:8

The blessings of the Gospel of Christ are great, but if one reads the Bible correctly he'll notice that the demands on the disciples were great, as well. The Master simply wants His sons and daughters to reach their potential.

He wants all the good that He purchased for us to be the blessing of everyone willing to accept it. He wants His fishers of men to catch enormous boatloads of fish.

Some will think that applying such rigor to the followers of Christ might be a bit harsh. "Oh, Jesus loves us so," many would protest, "surely He'd never be so stringent."
He does love us, true. But He also knows what's required to overcome the world, the flesh and the devil; to attain the Crown of Life.

Just to make the roster, Jesus set the bar for His followers, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. Jesus made numerous outlandish demands on his hearers, such that many of them 'quit the team'. . .

After this many of His disciples turned back and no longer walked with Him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." Jn 6:66-68

Read the Gospels again and take note of the expectations and demands that Jesus puts on those who'd already said, We have left all we had to follow You! By any standard, the call and crown of Christ makes Belichick's pale. Though honest observation of my own practice would belie that statement.

Jesus did not come in to win a championship of tiddlywinks. Jesus did not call us to be mere participants, but overcomers.

Consider Paul's attitude toward winning:

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. 1 Cor 9:24-26

Yeah Paul, the man who declared that we are saved by grace and not by works, had a regiment of faithfulness so rigorous as to make the New England Patriots look JV.

If you just now said in your heart, "Well that was Paul, and that's not for me," you are missing the point. Only one Patriot does what Tom Brady does, but none is excused from putting forth the same effort.

Jesus said, to whom much is given much is expected?
Our value for the Gospel is only as great as what we are willing to give for it. How fine would it be to hear our King say to our face:

Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master. Mat 25:21