The other day, I was stuck in traffic. There was road construction ahead and all three lanes were being funneled into one. Everyone could see what was going on (it might have had something to do with the big flashing signs saying “one lane ahead”). Many of us sat in the single line, slowly moving forward. But there were a few who decided that they could not wait in line. They moved up on the outside and sped all the way to the front of the line in an effort to forcibly merge into the lane. Has that ever happened to you? Did it make you mad? Why would people do such a selfish thing?
The answer is distortion, which is sin. This is when people fail to see the wonderful world around them as God’s great creation. Let me put it this way. It is as if we all need prescription eyeglasses to see the world clearly. Most of the time, we have on the right prescription lenses and acknowledge God as our Creator and view our neighbors as brothers and sisters in Christ. But, there are times when we somehow pick up the wrong pair of eyeglasses and put them on. The prescription in them is skewed and we have difficulty seeing the world outside of those frames. This is distortion. Everyone, even Christians, pick up the wrong prescription from time to time. We all fall short of the glory of God and are in need of grace.
I find it comforting that even Jesus was tempted by Satan, but the manner of that temptation must be studied. In Matthew 4:1-11, Jesus was asked to bow down to Satan, leap from the temple, and turn rock into bread. None of these seem too awful. It’s not as if he asked Jesus to kill anyone. But we too get caught in these temptations…serve ourselves, seek power, and act however we like.
So often we see bad behavior around us and we ignore it. Sometimes it becomes a big story. The headlines are full of examples of horrific behavior. Sports fans recall Terrell Owens and the Philadelphia Eagles saga. It basically ruined their season. I want to give an example of having on the right lenses.
In Bridge City last Saturday, I went to my daughter’s youth basketball game. I have four children and have attended and coached for years. This particular game stood out. With a 20 point lead early in the third quarter, opposing Coach Julie Kahla called a time-out and told her players to relax and pull back on defense. She knew the game was in hand and the girls on the opposing team would be better served by scoring a few baskets and pulling a little closer on the score board. I don’t know Coach Kahla (I had to ask her name), but I know that in the closing moments of that recreation league game, she figuratively had on the right pair of glasses. She cared for those girls, hers and those on the other team. She saw those kids as God’s children and she acted on behalf of the eternal Parent who wanted the best for all of them. Yes Coach Kahla is a competitor, her team won, but she is the right kind of competitor. That day, they all won! People are more important than games or wins. How refreshing, yet a few hours earlier I heard another coach praise over-aggressive play. Might need to check those lenses! We all have a choice to be led by the Holy Spirit and to remember whose world this really is and whose we really are.
Until next time,
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