December 6, 2018

What Does Your Life Say?

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. – Philippians 2:3

It’s high school football championship week. The top teams have gathered to play for the titles in each of the divisions. It’s an exciting time in this football obsessed region.

The games are televised, so we all have the opportunity to see the games unfold. One team won by a significant margin. I was thrilled because I know one of the coaches and his family. It was a well-deserved state championship win for a man who has been through a tough time.

You know how it goes. The team doesn’t win and somebody has to take the fall. He and several other assistants were shown the exit door. It was sad. It was done in a horrible way. And, well you probably already guessed, the team didn’t win again this year. But this godly man went to another team and helped that team win a state championship.

It was a tough journey, one filled with tears, as his family had their lives uprooted. They were active in our church. They were kind and giving. They lived their faith and it drew others to Jesus. Then he lost his job.

What I admired so much is that his faith didn’t falter on this hard journey. He didn’t badmouth his bosses. He didn’t get angry at God. Instead, he handed it all over to God. He trusted that God would provide something even better. And He did. God gave this coach a state championship.

I contrast that with another man who was also happy with the win, though for an entirely different reason. He didn’t like the other team because the quarterback is the little brother of a player on the college football team he detests. You may need to read that again. Yes. It really is that ridiculous.

He’s entitled to his opinion, of course, but his ugly comments really contrasted so much with the coach and his situation. This man also is an active volunteer at his church. He does many good things and has spent much time and money on relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael. But it’s easy to forget those things when hateful words come out about people he doesn’t even know.

Which man do you think shows the love of Jesus the most? The one who refused to badmouth those who harmed him or the one who badmouthed people he doesn’t know? Yeah. It’s easy to live our faith when things are going our way and we can give without cost to ourselves. But it’s when life gets hard, when it’s unfair, that people really learn who we are. It’s in that dark place where true faith can shine brightly.

The coach never lost his faith. He never doubted God’s goodness. He dealt with a situation he didn’t create, his soothed his wife’s anger and his children’s tears and unease. And he trusted God to give them all something better. And He did. Because God always gives His children more than we could ever dream.

No one is better or less because of the team they support. We forget that sometimes in our heated emotions of the moment. Watch your words. Live like Jesus when the days hurt and you don’t understand. People notice and they want to know why. Let your life point them toward Jesus.

September 14, 2018

Reshape Your Priorities

Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring. – Proverbs 27:1

The sound of chopper blades filled the silent night. The helicopter landed on the football field as fans, players, coaches, medics, all looked on. There’s something about it that puts a high school football game in its proper perspective.

We don’t know what tomorrow might bring. We tell ourselves that. But do we really believe it? And, more importantly, do we live like we believe it?

I wasn’t at that high school game tonight. The game was between two teams nearby. Small schools. You know the kind. Everyone knows everyone else. Nothing truly bad is supposed to happen.

A friend posted photos and, then, videos of the helicopter landing and taking off. We’ve had no news yet about the player. We can only imagine his family’s anguish. We hurt for the other players and coaches. We pray fervently for a young man to please be alright.

I know about sudden changes. I understand how one minute everything is right in your world and in the next life has changed forever. I have felt that earth-shattering moment that you come to think of as a dividing line between before and after.

We are so focused on being in charge of our own lives. We make plans like we really know what’s going to happen. We act as though our life events are more important than, well, almost anything. Until something happens and we refocus on what’s really important.

Jesus. He’s what matters. Do you know Him? Do you serve Him? Or do you serve yourself and your own agenda?

Don’t make excuses. I’m not calling you out but I do want you to squirm. I want you to think about your days, your priorities, your values. How many times do you put off doing things for Jesus because you’ve got something “better” to do? How many times do you make excuses such as time, energy, money?

I pray that young man will be okay. I pray he will heal quickly and completely, with no lasting impact from tonight. And I pray that this opened the eyes and hearts of those who witnessed it. We don’t always have the time we think we have.

So, make your plans with loose fingers. Leave room for Jesus. He has a way of showing up when you least expect Him.

Update: The player has a sprained spine. No breaks. He should be okay. Thank you for your prayers.

January 13, 2016

Don’t Give Up

 

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, -- Hebrews 12:1

I love college football. Specifically, I love Alabama football. So I was delighted in the outcome of Monday night’s college playoff game. It was a hard fought battle with an Alabama win. Roll Tide!

That’s the end of the story. The beginning of the season wasn’t so wonderful. The team struggled for an identity and there was no consensus on the quarterback. Then came the loss. It’s not even as though the team got beat by a better opponent. This team, this now national championship team, defeated itself with turnovers and mistakes.

They could have given up after that loss. They could have said the season is over and we’ll just get through it. They could have pointed fingers and blamed others. They could have done a lot of things. Instead, they learned from their mistakes and came out fighting for a chance. When that chance came, they were ready.

We could learn a few lessons from that team. How often do we get so bogged down in mistakes we can’t change that we can’t learn and grow and improve? How often do we refuse to take responsibility, which is often the first step in changing our path for the better? How often do we give up when that first setback comes our way?

Keep going. Keep praying. Keep focused on the end prize: Eternal life with Jesus. Don’t get sidetracked on what was. Focus instead on what will be. And stay with it, no matter what. God is your strength. He is your guide. Hold tight to Him and believe. Anything is possible if you just keep going.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Worship God With Football Enthusiasm

“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” -- Matthew 6:24

I’d really never heard it described as a “worship chip.” But when Pastor Danny used that term to describe that place inside all of us that only God can fill, it sure did make sense.

And then he talked about football. Now this is Alabama and Alabama knows football. We live and breath it. We plan our lives around it, especially those who follow college football. We expect every year for our team to be headed toward a National Championship. We moan and groan. We get excited. We focus intently on the field.

The day after, the next morning, on Sunday, we file into church. We’re probably a little hung over from all the excitement. Maybe even a little hoarse from all the yelling. But we’re in church and we pat ourselves on the back for that.

Then Pastor Danny wants to know if we’re as excited about Jesus as we are about football. He asks if we’re just as enthusiastic about worshipping our Lord as we are about cheering on our favorite team. He wants to know if we’ve got that same intensity on Sunday mornings to worship God as we do when we’re watching the football game.

Sometimes truth is anything but pleasant. We don’t think of God and football as being in competition. We don’t consider football to be an idol. We don’t really worship football. We just enjoy it immensely. Like God wants us to enjoy Him.

God created us with a worship chip deep inside. We’ve got to fill ourselves up with someone or something. So do we do that with Jesus? Or do we do it with football.?

Now, don’t get me wrong. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a little football. Okay. A lot of football. This is the Deep South after all. The problem comes when we’re more excited, more enthusiastic, more determined to experience the game than we are to worship God.

Sunday afternoon our recreational ministries hosted a tailgate party. We had team mascots, tents, a worship band, flag football and grilled hamburgers and hot dogs. We all shared fellowship and laughter as we gathered for some church-wide fun. The only problem was that the tailgate party began at the same time that our Women’s Bible Study meets.

Choices. We all have to make choices. And we did. We had a wonderful study session that blessed us all. Afterwards, we headed downstairs to join the party. God blessed us with enthusiasm for His Word and for His people. That worship chip honed in on Jesus and filled us up inside.