The coaches and owners of thirty NFL teams have just finished doing what I’ve been doing — they’ve just watched the first half of SuperBowl XL. The big difference between them and me is very simple. For the last several weeks, they’ve been trying to figure out what they need to do to be good enough to play in SuperBowl XLI. All I’ve been worried about is what I’m going to have for a half-time snack.
In fact, the coaches, scouts, managers, and owners of the other thirty NFL teams will spend hundreds of hours over the next several months trying to determine what will be necessary for them to make themselves better so they have a competitive chance next season to be a SuperBowl contender. Hundreds of millions of dollars will be spent for teams to improve. Hundreds of coaches and players will be drafted, fired, and traded.
They are serious about becoming better. Simply staying put will not help them advance to their goal. Status quo is really status deficio — i.e., status failure. And their focus is a game ... a professional sport ... an afternoon of entertainment.
What if we pursued holiness, spiritual growth, world evangelism, social justice, church growth, or a host of other godly goals with such passion?
What if our churches took their call of God with the appropriate greater seriousness?
What if we recognized that spiritual status quo was actually spiritual status deficio?
While we say that our faith is the most important part of our lives, do we actually show it in the way we individually spend our money, commit our passion, pursue personal spiritual growth, invest our talents, and give of our best thought?
While we moan and complain about the slip of societal values away from any form of godly norms, what have we done to ...
... invest our money in godly influence?
... encourage our most talented media people into channeling their gifts for godly influence?
... stimulate our brightest minds to become involved in culture changing pursuits — politics, media, music, higher education, and journalism?
The struggle we face is far too important to simply scream at the culture as it passes us by and looks at us as irrelevant relics of the past. It’s time for us to put our lives, our churches, our money, our children, our service, and ourselves where our mouths are. If thirty teams are figuring out how they could be in a four point game at half-time in next year’s SuperBowl, then what are we going to do in the most important task of all — the redemption of lost humanity?
It’s time for us to decide to get in the game or get out of the way and quit pretending that Kingdom work is the most important work of all. Don’t take my word for it, listen to what the Lord Jesus said: But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
