Scrambled Thoughts
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.—Gal 6:2
For You are the body of Christ and individually members of it.—1Cor 12:27
For those of you who may not know me very well yet, I'm not normally big on sports metaphors. The main reason for this, is that I would have to understand a sport before I could turn it into a metaphor for life. So in most cases, you're all safe. (That isn't a baseball metaphor either.) However, things lined up very well today, and a sports metaphor was born in my heart.
Over the last several weeks, Brad has taken us through the Apostle's Creed, and reminded us of the relevance of this ancient statement of Faith. This week the series concluded with "I believe in the Church." We heard how the Church consists not of a building, but of a people. We heard how we all are the body of Christ, and how, as saints (those called out and set apart) we are to be in communion with one another. We heard all this, and then we went out to play golf.
Now, golf and I have an ugly relationship. I bought a set of golf clubs in a garage sale over a decade ago. They were several decades old when I got them. I’m not sure why I bought them; it just seemed like a good idea at the time. My senior year in high school, as a transfer student to a private school, I learned the only way I could escape P.E. with the freshmen was to be in a sport. We've established my skill and understanding of sports above—so I played golf. (And I use the word "played" very loosely.)
After high school the golf clubs were put away; left to ferment a few more decades before they end up in another garage sale. But Bill Turner is very persuasive. Golf Fore Missions was fast approaching; and it was, after all, for missions; so out came the clubs. I joined a team, and even went out last Monday to practice.
Today, out in the driving wind, raising money for missions, I saw a picture of the communion of Saints, and what it means to be the church. Not in the jovial banter of the various teams; not in my team's forgiveness of my many faults; but in the very nature of the tournament.
You see, the Church, and the communion of saints, is very much like a scramble! Everyone takes a shot, and we take the next shot from the best ball! (I play a mean game of golf when I can shoot from someone else's lay!) This is the very essence of bearing one another’s burdens. I may not have what it takes today, but you come along side me and carry me through. You may not have the strength to make it through the loss of a loved one, or the loss of a job, but someone in the church steps up and walks beside you and carries you through.
Left to myself, all my best efforts at golf would be beyond miserable. But in a scramble, I was shooting under par! In life, left to myself, all my best efforts would often come to nothing, but as part of the body of Christ, while the Church bears my burdens, and I bear theirs, we are able to accomplish great things!
Homework this week—observe and become aware of the needs of those around you; and bear one another’s burdens.
For You are the body of Christ and individually members of it.—1Cor 12:27
For those of you who may not know me very well yet, I'm not normally big on sports metaphors. The main reason for this, is that I would have to understand a sport before I could turn it into a metaphor for life. So in most cases, you're all safe. (That isn't a baseball metaphor either.) However, things lined up very well today, and a sports metaphor was born in my heart.
Over the last several weeks, Brad has taken us through the Apostle's Creed, and reminded us of the relevance of this ancient statement of Faith. This week the series concluded with "I believe in the Church." We heard how the Church consists not of a building, but of a people. We heard how we all are the body of Christ, and how, as saints (those called out and set apart) we are to be in communion with one another. We heard all this, and then we went out to play golf.
Now, golf and I have an ugly relationship. I bought a set of golf clubs in a garage sale over a decade ago. They were several decades old when I got them. I’m not sure why I bought them; it just seemed like a good idea at the time. My senior year in high school, as a transfer student to a private school, I learned the only way I could escape P.E. with the freshmen was to be in a sport. We've established my skill and understanding of sports above—so I played golf. (And I use the word "played" very loosely.)
After high school the golf clubs were put away; left to ferment a few more decades before they end up in another garage sale. But Bill Turner is very persuasive. Golf Fore Missions was fast approaching; and it was, after all, for missions; so out came the clubs. I joined a team, and even went out last Monday to practice.
Today, out in the driving wind, raising money for missions, I saw a picture of the communion of Saints, and what it means to be the church. Not in the jovial banter of the various teams; not in my team's forgiveness of my many faults; but in the very nature of the tournament.
You see, the Church, and the communion of saints, is very much like a scramble! Everyone takes a shot, and we take the next shot from the best ball! (I play a mean game of golf when I can shoot from someone else's lay!) This is the very essence of bearing one another’s burdens. I may not have what it takes today, but you come along side me and carry me through. You may not have the strength to make it through the loss of a loved one, or the loss of a job, but someone in the church steps up and walks beside you and carries you through.
Left to myself, all my best efforts at golf would be beyond miserable. But in a scramble, I was shooting under par! In life, left to myself, all my best efforts would often come to nothing, but as part of the body of Christ, while the Church bears my burdens, and I bear theirs, we are able to accomplish great things!
Homework this week—observe and become aware of the needs of those around you; and bear one another’s burdens.