Life and Discipleship
The NFL playoff picture is set, and for the second time in as many years, the playoffs include a team that finished under .500 . Now wait one second and listen for it... That crashing sound is the sound heard 'round the world as all the accusers of systems that reward mediocrity, the "everyone gets a trophy" finger waggers. A system that is clearly supposed to reward winning has, yet again, sent a mediocre team at best and a team with a losing record (7-8-1) to the playoffs. Maybe the college football system isn't as bad as once thought.
The truth is life is filled with mediocrity. It exists all around us in public and private sectors. Yes, I've had great help at a retail chain and then I've had help. Just enough to get the job done, but not even good, let alone great. When a Democratic Senate was blocking an LBJ appointee to the Supreme Court, one member of the Senate charged he was mediocre at best. A supporter fired back, "Mediocrity deserves to be represented on the court!" I chuckled when I read it and thought, "Don't worry, it always has been and always will be."
What creates mediocrity? Volumes could be written in an answer to that question. Just enough to get by. The easy road. Why take care of today what can wait another week, month, and possibly even year?
Christ speaks of mediocrity. His mere words tell you of God's complete and utter dislike of mediocrity. The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25) has Jesus speaking of the servant who did nothing with his talent saying, "And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." He did nothing good nor bad. He just did nothing. He failed to act. His sin was to bury what God had given him, to fail to act. In Revelation 3, Christ speaks to the Church of Laodicea saying, "I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth."
The servant and the church failed to act. Luke warm. And Christ speaks vividly, "I will spit you out of my mouth." Where is my faith life? What do I do with the talent Christ has given me? What do we do as a body in the name of Christ? How do we use the talent God has given us? Pray that we use the talents Christ has given us as we serve our community, and pray that we strive to not allow ourselves to settle into lukewarm, mediocre servants, neither hot nor cold. Pray that in all we do, we do it in the name of Christ.
Peace in Christ -
Hope Men's Ministry
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