Getting in the Game

I confess, I’m a pretty big sport’s fan and have been accused by my wife of being willing to watch any sport any time. (Well, there was that season while I lived in Europe when I did get into watching darts on TV). So, this is my favorite time of year. Football is in full swing and it is playoff time for baseball. Now, while I have favorite teams, what really draws me in is the idea of the game itself, the measuring of skill verses skill, the strategy and execution of a game plan, the play by play adjustments to the unfolding story of that game. I know, I’m way too into this, but I do love it. What I’ve noticed, however, is that, like millions of others I am great at watching and dissecting, but not so hot when it comes to actually playing the game myself. I have developed into an accomplished observer and critic, but remain an underdeveloped player.

When you stop and think about it, this is the same thing that can happen on our faith journey. We can be far more adept at observing and critiquing than we are at walking with and serving the Lord. As a pastor, this is a bit of an occupational hazard. At one level you could say I am paid to pay attention to how everyone else is doing spiritually. Included in this is the leadership and maintenance of a church structure in which a particular group of people participates. Now, I think this is part of what I am supposed to do, but the problem comes when I fail to make sure that I am developing as a follower of Christ as well. When I teach people that the most important thing in their lives is to be a worshipper of God, I have to ask myself what kind of worshipper am I. When I talk about the need to serve others, how much of a servant’s heart am I cultivating? That’s a much more difficult conversation to have. I’d rather talk about what you need to be and do.

I feel like I’m in pretty good company on this as Paul worried, too, that he might one day crash and burn after having taught others (see 1 Cor. 9:24-27). He says that’s why he worked so hard to live a life of spiritual discipline. It means I need to be preparing myself for and engaging in the game. So I have to be careful to keep myself on a path of spiritual health, cultivating my relationship with God, offering myself in service to and for God, remaining an active participant rather than becoming merely an observer.