With the College 'Bowl Games' and the NFL 'Play-off' Games coming up and eating up a lot of our attention and emotional energy in the next few weeks (cf. Luke 8:14 for Jesus' thoughts on this!), I thought that the following Jewel from a friend on his blog at http://spiritualoasis.org/blog/ would be appropriate. - Jerry
Sports, sports and more sports. We live in a sports oriented society. The influence of sports, especially professional sports, on our thinking is incredible. Sometimes it is direct. At other times, it is subtle. It is, nevertheless, significant.
One of the subtle ways we are influenced seems to be evident in the development of an expanding “spectator’s mentality.” Increasing numbers of people are living vicariously through others, without ever actually being participants in the game, whatever it is. Many are content to sit on the sidelines, watching the months and years roll by. Think about it: How many “couch potatoes” do you know? (Or, is it un-sportsman-like conduct for me to ask that question?)
A clipping about a talented young football player who, in his coach’s eyes, didn’t seem to put his heart into the game, once crossed my desk. The coach wanted to light a fire under the lad. Looking intensely into his eyes, he asked, “Suppose it’s late in the game. We’re down by five points. We have the ball on the one yard line, and it’s fourth down. What would you do?” Without hesitation and with complete sincerity, the young man replied, “I’d move as close as I could to the end of the bench, so I’d have a better view.”
Yikes! Sometimes even the players are overtaken by the spectator’s mentality! This makes it difficult to build a team. Again, the sports arena is not the only place we find a growing number of spectators. This mindset distresses workplace supervisors. It is present virtually everywhere we look, even in the Lord’s church. Members stand on the sidelines watching, while their brothers and sisters wrestle with Kingdom assignments both big and small. But, the last place that a spectator’s mentality should exist is in the body of the redeemed. God’s involvement in our lives should compel us to be involved in the lives of others and in the body of Christ.
Involvement is a personal choice. It is greatly influenced by an individual’s attitude. God does not want us to hide our talent by blending into the crowd on the sidelines. Nor does He want us to dig a hole and bury it. This is a great incentive for involvement.
God has blessed us all with unique talents. He will hold us accountable for how we use them, too. However, understanding that we can be God’s instruments for making a positive a difference in the lives of many people should help us to see involvement on a grander scale. It is more than a duty. It is an avenue to great joy! No wonder Peter’s inspired exhortation is that “each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” (1 Peter 4:10 NIV)
Let us all determine that we will be more than spectators in the world in which we live and in the life of the local body of Christ to which we belong!
One of the subtle ways we are influenced seems to be evident in the development of an expanding “spectator’s mentality.” Increasing numbers of people are living vicariously through others, without ever actually being participants in the game, whatever it is. Many are content to sit on the sidelines, watching the months and years roll by. Think about it: How many “couch potatoes” do you know? (Or, is it un-sportsman-like conduct for me to ask that question?)
A clipping about a talented young football player who, in his coach’s eyes, didn’t seem to put his heart into the game, once crossed my desk. The coach wanted to light a fire under the lad. Looking intensely into his eyes, he asked, “Suppose it’s late in the game. We’re down by five points. We have the ball on the one yard line, and it’s fourth down. What would you do?” Without hesitation and with complete sincerity, the young man replied, “I’d move as close as I could to the end of the bench, so I’d have a better view.”
Yikes! Sometimes even the players are overtaken by the spectator’s mentality! This makes it difficult to build a team. Again, the sports arena is not the only place we find a growing number of spectators. This mindset distresses workplace supervisors. It is present virtually everywhere we look, even in the Lord’s church. Members stand on the sidelines watching, while their brothers and sisters wrestle with Kingdom assignments both big and small. But, the last place that a spectator’s mentality should exist is in the body of the redeemed. God’s involvement in our lives should compel us to be involved in the lives of others and in the body of Christ.
Involvement is a personal choice. It is greatly influenced by an individual’s attitude. God does not want us to hide our talent by blending into the crowd on the sidelines. Nor does He want us to dig a hole and bury it. This is a great incentive for involvement.
God has blessed us all with unique talents. He will hold us accountable for how we use them, too. However, understanding that we can be God’s instruments for making a positive a difference in the lives of many people should help us to see involvement on a grander scale. It is more than a duty. It is an avenue to great joy! No wonder Peter’s inspired exhortation is that “each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” (1 Peter 4:10 NIV)
Let us all determine that we will be more than spectators in the world in which we live and in the life of the local body of Christ to which we belong!
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