Archive for August, 2009

Swinging for the Fences

babe-ruthI’ve had several conversations lately with people, including myself (yes, I totally talk to myself) that find themselves in moments of decision.  Each had a different, risky decision to make and were looking for advice on what to do.

In these kinds of situations I tend to begin with thinking through the pros and cons, analyzing the situation from a logical perspective and going with the decision that will cause me (or the one I’m advising) the least amount of pain.  The problem with this way of making decisions is that it assumes that the best decision is always the least painful one.  We all know that this is a really poor assumption.  Read the story of Joseph, Abraham, David, even Jesus.

I think the real and better question is “what is faith?” and “how do I have it in this situation?”.  I think it’s easy to just analyze the situation, anticipate all the variables, stick a wet finger in the wind and then timidly proceed hoping you made the right call.  I think this is the way most of us live.

What really ends up happening is, in our silly pride, we try to take control of our universe and end up frozen in indecision.  We freeze because it never takes us long to find out that we are incapable of making a perfect decision, and if the results depend on the perfection of the decision and the perfection of the execution then it’s a lost cause.  We get paralyzed by our own inability to foresee and control the future.  So we do nothing, or wait for life to decide for us which always takes us down the path of least resistance.  The path of least resistance leads to mediocrity at best and at worst utter misery.

I see a different way in the Bible.  I see God calling people to take action, swiftly, decisively, and confidently.  I see faith being defined in terms of action not in terms of the quality of the decision or the emotion of the moment.  Not to be mistaken for impulsiveness, but rather a clear response to the outrageous promises of God.  I see God using people that never bunt at the ball, but rather swing for the fences every time the ball comes their way.

I have discovered from personal experience that this creates some messes.  Sometimes serious ones.  It’s not that we do not learn from our messes, and the next time around try to make a better swing.  Humble people learn from their missed swings.  However, I’m more convinced now than ever that staying in the dugout is the worst mistake any of us can make. (pardon me while I beat this baseball analogy to death…)

So, take this as an encouragement.  Whatever you do, swing for the fence.  Humbly learn from your mistakes, but never mistake humility for an unwillingness to take risks and make messes.  Never allow yourself to become paralyzed with indecision because both paths appear too risky or the cost of failure is too great.

879 days ago /  Tagged: , , 1

The Gospel and My Waistline

fatIt’s always bothered me that some preachers can rant about the evils of smoking while they are obese because after the ranting sermon they belly up to the buffet at the Golden Corral.  They condemn the splinter in their neighbor’s eye but fail to see the double chocolate milkshake in their own.  I think there are lots of reasons for this, but one big one is that gluttony is one sin that is still off limits in the south.  You can talk about a lot of things, even sex.  Just don’t mess with my dinner plate.

This has to change.

I’ve struggled with gluttony for years.  I say it that way intentionally.  It’s not a weight problem.  It’s not that my Momma didn’t teach me how to eat.  It’s not that I was spanked when I was little (or wasn’t spanked).  It’s not that I don’t know how to eat healthy.  I’m fat because I’m a sinner that would rather eat until I’m in pain than worship Jesus.  Would I really eat like a pig if I was “walking in the Spirit”?  Galatians 5:16-17 tells me I wouldn’t.  This means that I have to tell God to take 5 while I pig out.  He can come back when I’m done and ready to repent.

The difficult thing about gluttony is that, with this particular sin, you wear its effects around your waist for everyone to see.

So I’ve decided to do something about it, and not the normal something.  You know what I mean.  The “something” where you get up the nerve to go to the gym and eat carrots for a day.  And then quit.

I’m taking a different tack this time.  I’m asking the question, “If the gospel is the power of God, then can I apply the gospel even to how I eat?  Can I find a way to worship Jesus with the way I eat?”  I’ve started a group in our church where we are exploring this idea.  Instead of recipe tips, the scale, weight, and self-image being at the center of what we are doing we will put God, His glory, worship and the gospel at the center.  We will be asking the Holy Spirit to so deeply convict us of our sin and so overwhelm us with His glory that we begin to worship Him with fork in hand.

We’ve been meeting now for 2 weeks and so far it’s been powerful, at least for me.  It’s a powerful thing when a small group of people decide to really take the mask off and tackle the big issues of living for Jesus.

I’ll keep you posted.

899 days ago /  Tagged: , 6