Go team!

My daughter is a tiny little sprite of a person. With fiery red hair, and a passion to find her place, she has participated in many different activities to explore her skills and feel a part of something. First it was ballet, then soccer, horseback riding, and on and on. None of them were activities in which she excelled. They were somewhat enjoyable but not things she wanted to pursue. Then, a couple of years ago, she tried gymnastics. She advanced quickly through the skills, and was interested in trying out for the competitive team. We considered all the options. After learning this required a very sizeable financial commitment, an even bigger time commitment, and she would be half naked in her uniform, we knew this was not going to work for our family. You see, my daughter has given her life to Christ and, just like any of us who have truly done that, her life is not her own anymore. This was a tough one, but the true ways to learn the meaning of sacrifice are painful.

Our lives are not to be eaten up with stuff that has no eternal purpose. Yes, that even means our children. Our family does fun things and tries to stay active to keep our bodies healthy. Our son has landed on basketball as his activity of choice. It is for a season. Our lives are filled with seasons. But no season should be void of devotion to Christ. We take breaks from school, from sports,  and work. Sometimes we may even need a break from a specific calling to serve the Lord, or may know the season for that calling is complete. This blog is about drawing closer to Christ and nowhere in scripture does it tell us to take a vacation from Him. It has become a pandemic in the church. The symptoms are mild at first. Then they become more severe and begin to impair the judgment. Soon, the fever of apathy overwhelms the entire central nervous system. Finally, if not seen by "The Great Physician," total disregard of Christ sets in. This results in an extremely high spiritual mortality rate in our children. The disease is called idolatry and it exists in varying degrees of severity all throughout the church.

We tell ourselves when we commit to be on a team or participate in an activity, it is not right to miss practice or games. We have to be dedicated. And if it is something in which we decide to participate, we should be dedicated. What needs to be determined is if the level of commitment required to participate is prudent. As Christians, we are to above all else love the Lord "with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." Matthew 22:37 Jesus himself said this is the most important thing we need to do. Number one on the list! Dedicated to the team?!? What happened to our dedication to Christ? I am NOT saying that children should not participate in activities. Our children have gleaned great life lessons from being involved in various sports and pursuits. We must, however, guard against the activities taking a idolatrous position in our lives. I have heard it said by some who consistently miss church for sporting activities year around, that "the ball field is my mission field." This is a very slippery slope. How can a life of choosing sports activities over the mission work taking place in a vibrant church, as well as fellowshipping and worshiping with fellow believers be an example to others of loving the Lord [and everything He is about] with all your heart, soul, and mind?

Idolatry is a pervasive problem throughout the church and the consequences are profound. "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." 1 Corinthians 6:9-11. Look at the list of sins with which idolatry is associated and this a pretty firm warning. Are we people who "such were some of you?" Or are we still idolaters? If there is anything in our lives that we would not give up for Christ it is an idol. If we have been sanctified, the first on the list is Christ and everything else should find what ever time is leftover.

 

We are to be about the work of God and the advancement of His kingdom every day, in our actions as well as our thoughts. We are to encourage each other and be steadfast in our commitment to Christ first, and to our fellow believers second. There are, today, children of God who sacrifice everything, including their life here on this earth, to advance God's kingdom and be a part of His work, while gathered with others of His church. "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:24-25 How are we to "stir up love and good works" with people we never see? To love Christ is to also love the body of Christ and be about His work.

 

Lastly, my daughter was disappointed by the decision we made not to delve deeper and make a bigger commitment to gymnastics. Disappointing our kids is not something that Kevin and I relish. It is painful at times. I would like to be able to say that her response was to smile and say, "I will gladly serve the Lord," but it was not. She does not even realize, but it has freed her to be able to serve the Lord and touch lives in concrete ways she could never have with so much of her schedule taken up for her amusement. And that makes even the disappointment worth it, for her to be a tool in the master's hand. It has brought her one more step closer to Christ.