Lessons from the Vikings

Lessons from the Vikings

In reading Do Hard Things over the past six weeks, an interesting story stuck out to Me. The authors of the book, Alex and Brett Harris, point out an interesting tid bit about how the vikings were able to be so dominant in their era. The answer is easier than you may think: they rowed. In an era when most world powers used servants or slaves as their rowers when traveling to overtake an enemy, the Norsemen rowed themselves, making them completely ripped. The sheer size of the vikings is legendary, but that size was not necessarily genetic, it was earned through hard work.

Now granted, the vikings do not hold an exemplary human rights record, but we can still learn from their success. Many of the big things we want to accomplish in this life take work, and often tedious, seeminly menial work. I doubt the vikings looked forward to rowing their boats hundreds of miles, but the workout, and pain, of the process prepared them for the big goals they wanted to accomplish: conquest.

What big goals do you have in your life? Are you trying to skip steps, or take the easy route to success? More times than not, the lazy way leads to defeat. Occasionally someone will get lucky, or be at the right place at the right time. But more than likely, you will need to work for what you accomplish in this life. Be like the vikings, work hard in the small things and you might be surprised when you find yourself accomplishing something great.

Remember, though, our goal is not to accomplish great things for ourselves. It is to accomplish great things for Christ!
1 Corinthians 10:31 – “Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

-Pastor Adam