In surgery there should be no wasted moves. I had a chief resident in surgery that would always prod us to close operative incisions faster by barking at us "Anesthesia is not candy!" Now as a surgeon myself, I have an appreciation for efficiency in the operating room, since we do not want to expose the patient to unnecessary risk by having a prolonged surgical time. We will not cut corners and go faster than is safe, but we will not take our sweet time and go slow for no reason.

<aside> Similarly, in our spiritual life and theological studies we want to make sure that we are careful about being efficient with our time … so if it doesn't matter, it doesn't matter

</aside>

Two potential immediate reactions to hearing me say this are (1) who are you to say what does and doesn't matter, and (2) our orthodox spirituality is not about efficiency but leaving space for God to work in our place. In response I would agree with both, but neither one is incompatible with the idea that we should be selective about how to invest our efforts at spiritual growth.

Some Stuff That Matters

• Understanding epistemology - how we know what we know
• Understanding ontology - the fundamental nature of being
• Defining clearly what constitutes Orthodox understanding
• Integration of the three pillars: Patristic, Biblical, and Liturgical understanding
• Building authentic human connections with people from all walks of life
• Aligning time investment with core values
• Balancing excellence with simplicity
• Making decisions based on coherence, consistency, and balance
• Understanding the mystery of time and God's eternal present
• Growing through challenges (antifragility)

Stuff That Doesn't Matter

• Checking boxes and going through motions without meaning
• Following rules simply for the sake of following rules
• Agreeing with everyone instead of having healthy dialogue
• Using curriculum as a replacement for genuine servant preparation
• Superficial measures of professionalism (like dress codes)
• Taking extra time without purpose ("Anesthesia is not candy")
• Maintaining traditions without understanding why they exist
• Focusing on institutional preservation over authentic community growth
• Pursuing academic knowledge without practical application

<aside> 🔗

I would greatly appreciate your feedback on where you agree or disagree with these points. My goal isn't to create a definitive list of what matters and what doesn't, but rather to encourage people to be selective and intentional about how we invest our collective efforts.

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