Instead of fixing what’s wrong, a lot of people draw circles …

When a person enters counseling, there’s a primary measure as to whether they will exit counseling having progressed in changing or improving their life. That key measure is whether or not they actually put into practice what they learn and the new skills they’re taught.

Some people choose not to, and instead prefer to “draw circles.” The “circle” reference comes from this story told by Stuart Strachan, Jr., about a sharpshooter:

Some years ago an Army sharpshooter was visiting a small town. He was surprised to find bull’s-eyes with bullet holes in the exact center all throughout the village.

“Someone or some one’s here must be amazing shooters,” he thought, “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Finally he found the local rifleman responsible for all those holes.

“I’m a pretty good shot, but I’ve never been this accurate,” he said to the man.

“Oh, it’s not hard at all,” he said, “I just shoot first and draw the circles after.”

Some people, after gaining from their time in counseling deeper truth about themselves and being equipped with new skills for living, aren’t willing to actually put that broadened knowledge and new skills to use. Instead, they just “draw a circle” around where their life is now, and settle for staying in need of real change.

There’s a time in counseling, and in life, when the phrase “where the rubber meets the road” is a reality — will you put to use what you’ve been taught or learned, and skills you’ve been equipped with, or remain broken?

The same is true about what you’re taught, and how you’re equipped as a Christian from your time in church settings, or as an employee who receives training. What will you do with your discipleship? Or your professional training?

Scotty