The Hexagon

Essay

Balance may seem ordinary, but in reality, it is the most powerful strength you can develop. A person overly specialized in one area will not endure as long or have as genuine an impact as someone whose gifts grow evenly across multiple dimensions. I like to describe this kind of balanced growth as a “hexagon.”

Let me start with a sports example. You might think a baseball pitcher only needs strong arm muscles. But in fact, the strength of the whole body—upper body and lower body, thighs and calves—works together for power and balance. If someone focuses just on their arms and neglects their legs, their strength is scattered and their body becomes unbalanced.

I can relate that to my personal gym experience. When I exercise alone, I tend to want to focus only on my visible upper body. But my personal trainer pushes me to train my legs consistently. Why? Because the human body doesn’t grow healthily by developing only one part. Ministry, faith, and leadership are no different. Being gifted in just one visible area does not make you a good leader.

Even in theology, balance is key. Theology skewed too heavily in one direction may look strong initially but rarely lasts over time. You can focus solely on the Word while neglecting the power of the Spirit, or chase after supernatural gifts and lose your grounding in truth. Healthy communities don’t cling to one emphasis but learn over time to cultivate a broader, healthier balance.

We see a worldly example of a hexagon in how matchmaking agencies evaluate candidates. They consider practical realities like profession, education, appearance, finances, family background, and personality. While this may be somewhat practical and even harsh, it highlights a truth: people who are not seriously lacking in any one area are quite rare.

At this point, two important attitudes are essential. First, be honest and objective about yourself and prepare accordingly. Second, show grace toward others. No one is a perfect hexagon; everyone has one or two weak areas. So while we pursue balance, we must not judge others like we’re ticking boxes on a checklist.

For Christians, what really matters is our spiritual hexagon. Scripture, truth-based thinking, gifts and abilities, character, wisdom, and perseverance must grow together. You might have solid knowledge of the Word but weak spiritual gifts. Or you may demonstrate gifts but lack refined character. What we need is not just to develop what we’re already good at, but to intentionally fill in the serious gaps.

Character is especially crucial in spirituality. I’m not talking about having a naturally pleasant personality. The character I mean is what emerges when destructive traits like impatience, resentment, quarrelsomeness, anxiety, lack of endurance, and judgmental attitudes are removed. It’s not simply about biting your tongue or repressing emotions but about allowing God to cleanse these toxins, revealing deeper spiritual maturity.

This hexagon principle applies to business as well. To excel at marketing, for instance, simply being talented in one or two areas won’t suffice. Content creation, branding, data analysis, customer understanding, execution, and operations must align. Each field has its own hexagon, and true excellence arises when you see the whole picture.

Later in the talk, I address balancing a “free style” approach with steady consistency. Some people gain breadth by moving through many groups and fields—DTS, business mission training, various organizations, mission ships. Such diversity can widen perspectives and spark creativity. For creative, free-spirited people, this can be very enjoyable and enriching.

But moving too much can make your experience seem fleeting. Even if you have real skills, inconsistent history makes it harder to gain official recognition. A career that seems erratic can appear like aimless wandering, limiting access to significant leadership roles that require trust and longevity.

The same principle applies in the workplace. Job hoppers—those changing every three or six months—may look smart on paper but raise concerns for employers. They might seem unlikely to invest in internal knowledge or stay long. Although personal desire to learn broadly is understandable, organizations prioritize people they can entrust over the long haul.

For ministry, staying put in one place for an extended time is very important. Churches tend to be even more conservative in valuing permanence than companies. Longevity isn’t about fear of change; rather, it means passing through relationship-building, accountability, and tested responsibility. Those who serve a community long-term naturally build a trust hard to convey in words.

God works by expanding us at some times and holding us steady at others. When He calls you to move, embrace those new experiences. When He invites you to remain, find joy in the depth that consistent service brings. The key is not to be tossed by circumstances but to center everything on God’s training for each phase.

Finally, a vital distinction: hardship versus unnecessary struggle. Hardship may be a necessary path to grow toward God, producing maturity, training, and glory. But unnecessary struggle—fighting battles you don’t need to, wilting under pressure without discernment—is something to avoid. We must discern whether we are enduring God-ordained challenges or pointless exhaustion.

The practical conclusion is simple: identify your weakest area first. Growth accelerates not by doubling down on what you’re already good at, but by strategically targeting serious deficiencies. Prosperity in God’s kingdom doesn’t come from being perfect but from humbly recognizing your shortcomings and courageously addressing them before the Lord.

Content Notes

1. Balance is the strongest power.

Balance isn’t about being lukewarm. People whose gifts grow evenly across several areas last longer and have more real influence than those focused on just one. Balance matters in faith, theology, ministry, and business alike.

2. Like an athlete’s body, leaders must develop fully.

Just as a pitcher can’t succeed with strong arms but weak legs, leaders must grow Scripture knowledge, character, gifts, wisdom, and perseverance all together to have true strength.

3. Theology and community require balance too.

Focusing only on the Word can lead to losing connection to the Spirit’s power; focusing only on gifts can result in losing the Word’s foundation. Healthy communities learn over time to balance Word and Spirit, truth and power.

4. The worldly hexagon shows reality.

Matchmaking agencies’ criteria—job, education, appearance, finances, personality—illustrate how rare it is for one person to be balanced across multiple real-world areas. This example highlights the difficulty of maintaining balanced growth.

5. Perfect hexagons are rare.

Few people are without serious deficiency in any one area. We must prepare ourselves objectively and extend grace to others, recognizing that everyone has areas to grow in.

6. Christians need a spiritual hexagon.

Scripture, truth-based thinking, gifts, character, wisdom, and perseverance should grow together. It’s important to fill in spiritual gaps, not just reinforce strengths.

7. Character is vital spiritual growth.

Character is about removing spiritual toxins like impatience, hatred, quarrelsomeness, worry, lack of endurance, and judgmental attitudes. This growth is spiritual maturity that must be cultivated.

8. Every field has its own hexagon.

Whether marketing, business, or ministry, multiple competencies must fit together. Seeing the whole system is key to true excellence.

9. Free style brings broad experience and creativity.

Moving through various ministries and organizations can deepen perspectives and foster creativity. This approach benefits those who thrive on variety.

10. Too much moving weakens consistency.

Brief stints and scattered experience may appear as a lack of solid verified achievement, which can limit access to larger leadership positions.

11. Steadiness builds trust.

Longevity in one place develops responsibility and credibility. Churches especially value long-term presence as a sign of faithfulness and accountability.

12. God shapes us through both expansion and stability.

Sometimes He calls us to explore new fields, sometimes to stay put and deepen. Both are His ways of molding us according to His purpose.

13. Discern hardship from unnecessary struggle.

God-ordained hardship leads to growth, training, and glory. But unnecessary hardship wastes energy and should be avoided.

14. Target your weakest area strategically.

Growth speeds up when you identify and courageously train your weakest areas—be it Scripture, gifts, character, perseverance, or wisdom—before God.