Imagine paying to see a game. Let's take football because I LOVE football! Let's even make it the Super Bowl. Big time expensive seats, right? You're cheering. You're screaming. You're about to jump out of your skin with excitement because you're there, ready to watch your team play. And out comes the team. Cheerleaders wave their poms. The band plays. And the team runs onto the field.
They huddle.
The huddle continues.
And you sing their fight song.
The huddle goes on.
You sit...
And wait...
And wait...
And three hours later they break the huddle and run off the field, never having played.
Uh, yeah. Pretend that just happened.
You paid for a game, but the players never did more than huddle together, strategize, pump each other up, and then do nothing with it. They even trained ahead of time. But then...nothing.
You can picture that, right? So here's the question: Are we, as the church, perhaps doing the same thing? We come together and huddle on Sundays and Wednesdays, but we never break that huddle and get in the game. We train, we listen to our coaches, we pump each other up, but we don't run any of the plays. All the while Christ is saying, "HEY! I paid a HUGE price here, now get out there and play!"
Don't get me wrong. The huddle is important, friends. We need that time. But it can't be all we become. There is a lost world out there who needs us in the game, actively playing. There is a real eternity, and everyone will either spend it in hell, or in heaven. There is no in-between. And we who are saved need to be reaching those that are not.
And it's simple.
As simple as smiling at someone. Building relationships. Inviting them to church. Yes, just an invitation. We don't need to be perfect...because we won't be until heaven. We don't need to have a seminary degree. And we don't need to have every Scripture memorized. We just need to love them. Ask them. Point them to Christ. Because it's going to take each and every one of us.
God didn't save you to sit on the bench. And He didn't save us to live in the huddle.
He's building a team here where everyone plays.
You may be the quarterback. The defensive line. Maybe offense...but we all play a part. The key thing here is you gotta play. There's a world that needs you.
What are you going to do today?
Such a great post! Love the analogy! A much needed reminder. I often don't feel like I "do" enough, or that what I'm doing isn't "big" enough, but like you say . . . as simple as smiling. I can do that. I want people to see that there's something different about me, and I pray it's that "light" that will point someone to Him.
ReplyDeleteHave a blessed week, Susan! :-)
Oh, I know! But we never know if we're planting, watering, or the one who'll reap the harvest. For many people it's the interactions over time that lead them to God. And you're light definitely shines, Michelle:)
DeleteLove this, Susan.
ReplyDeleteI got the chance to hang out with some awesome missionaries yesterday, and I'll tell ya, I walked away with that "whoa, I've been sitting on the bench" feeling. Every day is chance to play on the team, though...to really play! So today, I'm praying differently and playing differently.
Amen, Melissa! This whole month we've been centering on reaching out. Now, we've always been a "reaching out" type of church, but boy o boy is our senior pastor pushing us to new levels. And making sure we all know we can do it...every single one of us has the ability to impact lives. Praying you run into some people today:) Tackle them for Jesus. It's all good;)hehe
DeleteWhat a great way of thinking about church, Susan. You know I'm a big football fan. And I'm not a "tackler." I definitely don't like religious confrontation! But I'll gladly catch the ball and run it to the end zone. :)
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