Act or Hesitate?
For many of us, fall means football (and if it doesn't for you ... hang with me for a bit). High School, college, and the pros draw the attention of the nation. While soccer remains king of world-wide sports, American football sure moves the needle in the US. A couple of Fridays ago over 4,000 fans piled into Summit High's stadium and watched a great game between the Storm and the Bend High Lava Bears. It was a back-and-forth contest that hinged on just a couple of plays. Unless something weird happens, these two will see each other again, deep in the state playoffs.
I like watching individual players while still following the play. Each position has its job, and a few get most of the recognition, but each one must play their part for success to come. Take middle linebackers. They are like the quarterbacks of the defense. Linebackers call out to their side what they see and with each snap they must make a split-second decision to assess the action and commit. If they sense a run, they charge forward into the fray. If it looks like a pass is coming, they drop into coverage. Their conviction is filled with vulnerability. If they choose wrong, or hesitate a beat too long, the offense will take advantage and move the ball down the field, maybe even score.
That got me to thinking how a linebacker's "assess, decide, act" life looks a lot like a faith life in action. You and I are called to evaluate situations, decide on a wise course of action, then move, trusting God for the outcome. Sometimes we read a situation right, and other times we see things all wrong, but the key is to make the call and go. The grey world of hesitation and second-guessing hamstrings the best of intentions. But just like a linebacker, any move we make, driven by conviction, leaves us vulnerable to criticism or ostracism or misunderstanding. Risk accompanies any growth.
Bonhoffer has this to say regarding these things. In his Letters and Papers from Prison he writes:
“We must learn to act differently from those who always hesitate… We must be clear about what we want, we must ask whether we’re up to it, and then we must do it with unshakeable confidence… All we can do is to live in the assurance and faith.”
Scripture is full of people who looked at a situation, decided a Godly course of action, and then, in spite of the vulnerability, moved ahead. Here is a sampling:
Caleb, as a spy in the promised land, saw giants and walled cities and voted to go anyway, then later as an old man did go
Rahab, a Caananite prostitute who risked her life for the Jews she hid and is included in the Messianic geneology
Jonathan, a king's son who would not betray his friend, David
Joseph, a carpenter who believed the unbelievable and stayed with his pregnant wife
Lydia, a tradeswoman who became the first believer in Europe and served well
Priscilla, along with her husband, faithfully moved the fledgling movement of faith along at great cost
Each person mentioned above moved when they sensed the nudge from the Spirit of God. Most paid a societal price and did it with gladness, because their hope rested in God, not in an assured outcome. Reading over Hebrews 11, God's Hall of Fame, demonstrates the value of trusting God and moving forward. The majority highlighted in that chapter conquered their challenge, but the chapter ends with a reality check that living as a follower is no guarantee of your vision of winning.
"...and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (people of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.
These are sobering words. In our era, many tend to downplay the downside to faith. Rather, triumphalism is quite popular, whether it is your goal/vision for a Christian America through politics and the courts, or pursuit of a prosperity gospel, or some other deceit. The truth is that we are not promised triumph here, and we are not even asked to pursue it, especially through ungodly means or immoral leaders. Our triumph is in that Jesus has already won the last battle and defeated the last enemy, death, and we who follow him do so not to "win America" but to win Americans and invite them to follow, as well.
So, how does this relate to you and me? We have times when life looks like the Seahawks' offense, ready to run us flat. We best not run away nor hesitate. Pray and assess and decide, then move in the most godly direction you can understand. Mistakes are inevitable, but movement can be redirected by scripture used by the Holy Spirit and through wise counsel of others. Multiple times a day we will assess, decide, and then either move or hesitate. Move!
As we move, a good starting point is to remember and overlay the great commandment ("Love one another, just as I have loved you...") onto every one of your situations all through the day.
What does it look like to love the person in front of me? That's our best move.
How about when their view on a situation or the whole world is far from yours? And that's a great test.
If we are followers of Jesus, we don't have the option of ignoring this commandment. Unless we want to be just like the world around us.
We have nothing to lose by loving others, even those who are angry or dirty or not like us or believe differently or don't know Jesus from a jelly donut. And then the God-door swings open for him to work.
You and I, as those who have been given real life through knowing Jesus, are called to lean into our world with love and concern and action and optimism that God is not absent and knows what he's doing. We do well to ask, over and over throughout our days, "Just how can I be of good use here, now?" All down the generations, people of faith have asked similar questions, then chosen to act, in the name of God for the good of the world in front of them.
Like Bonhoffer says, “...we must do it (whatever you are prompted to do or say that looks and sounds like Jesus) with unshakeable confidence.” It is our time now. Let's listen closely to the Spirit and let's go.
How about music for the week?
And a couple of bad jokes for the road...
A mother texting to her son, "John, just found out Aunt Elsie died. LOL"
Son: "Why are you saying LOL?"
Mom: "I am adding Lot's Of Love."
Son: "Mom, that means Laughing Out Loud!"
Mom: "Gotta go, I have some urgent calls to make..."
__________
An old geezer became very bored in retirement and decided to open a medical clinic. He put a sign up outside that said: "Dr. Geezer's clinic. Get your treatment for $500. If not cured, get back $1,000."
Doctor Young (who was positive that this old geezer didn't know beans about medicine) thought this would be a great opportunity to get $1,000 so he went to Dr. Geezer's clinic.
Dr. Young: "Dr. Geezer, I have lost all taste in my mouth. Can you please help me??"
Dr. Geezer: "Nurse, please get 5 drops from the bottle from drawer 12 and put it in Dr. Young's mouth."
Dr. Young: "Aaagh! -- This is gasoline!"
Dr. Geezer: "Congratulations! You've got your taste back. That will be $500."
Dr. Young gets annoyed and goes back after a couple of days figuring to recover his money.
Dr. Young: "I have lost my memory, I cannot remember anything."
Dr. Geezer: "Nurse, please bring the bottle from drawer 12 and put 3 drops in the patient's mouth."
Dr. Young: "Oh, no you don't -- that's gasoline!"
Dr. Geezer: "Congratulations! You've got your memory back. That will be $500."
Dr. Young (now having lost $1000) leaves angrily and comes back after several more days.
Dr. Young: "My eyesight has become weak -- I can hardly see anything!!!"
Dr. Geezer: "Well, I don't have any medicine for that, so here's $1000 back." (Gives him a $10 bill)
Dr. Young: "But this is only $10!"
Dr. Geezer: "Congratulations! You got your vision back! That will be $500."
Moral of story: Just because you're "Young" doesn't mean that you can outsmart an "old Geezer."