Creating a Legacy

Superbowl XLVIII has arrived in a flurry of conversation and speculation.  One of the top conversations has been around quarterback Peyton Manning, of the Denver Broncos, and whether he will win and thus become a legacy.  He is the only player in this year's bowl that has already both won a Superbowl, and lost a Superbowl.  Speculators comment that he needs to win this one to seal his legacy.

I've thought about legacy quite a little bit.  How many of us desire to be remembered when our time is done?  How many of us think about ways to preserve what made us for our future generations?  Some people gather photos and seal them in albums.  Others start making a name for themselves publicly by doing charitable acts or donating things.  Still others, like me, journal and blog, hoping that someone actually reads and takes away some nugget of truth we are trying to convey.  Social media (like Facebook) is just a small example of our desires to be known.

What does the Bible say about legacy?  Consider Paul's words to Timothy:

"As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God.  The time of my death is near.  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.  And now the prize awaits me - the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return.  And the prize is not just for me but all who eagerly look forward to his appearing." (2Timothy 4:6-8 NLT)

God wants us to serve Him.  He wants all of our work and time to point to him.  The legacy we build is not supposed to be about us.  We are charged to ensure that current and future generations know Him.  I constantly have to check my motivations when I write.  Why do I want to blog?  What purpose do my words have for others?  Does my work actually promote the person of God or His work?  I hope so.

Let's remember our purpose as we gather together tomorrow in front of the television.  There are people who don't know the Lord who could join you in your Superbowl parties.  They may be open to an invitation to your church or small group after laughing and fellowshipping with you.  Be the light in this world.  Create your legacy.

Oh, and Go Broncos!

Is Competition Divisive?

Well, here we go! Football fans in the area are gearing up for the game that determines which team will go to the playoffs as the NFC division champion and host the wild card team.  As I have mentioned in another blogpost, Lessons From Football, I am a Green Bay Packers fan.  However, as the rest of the family are solid Bears fans, I find myself standing on the opposite side.

This made me reflect a little bit about competitions and rivalry.  What does the Bible say about this?  Is it healthy to create a spirit of competition among believers?  1Corinthians 9:24-27 says, "Don't you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training.  They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.  So I run with purpose in every step.  I am not just shadowboxing.  I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should.  Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified." (NLT)  In this passage, Paul certainly uses competition to make a point that we need to be prepared and train like we plan to win a race.  Athletes are good examples of the kind of discipline Paul was referencing.

But, I wonder if Paul was only discussing the training part, and not the race itself.  After all, our race is the race to win souls.  What would happen if we tried to compete with each other about the number of souls won?  Would our purpose be compromised?  We should work together to win souls, and not try to compete.  I talked about this in an early blogpost a while back, Unity of Purpose.  I still believe we are trying to work too much in isolation and need to lean on the strengths of one another.

I think my favorite football game of the year is the Pro Bowl game that combines the best players from all the teams.  What is neat about this one is the spirit of playing for fun, and mutual appreciation of all the players.  This is how we should behave as believers, no matter what church denomination we come from.  We have different strengths that would appeal to different souls.

"If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.  And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand." ~Mark 3:24-25 (NKJV)

But, football is just a game, and it is fun to cheer for your favorite team.  Go Pack Go!

Lessons from Football?

Ok.  The truth is out.  I am a Green Bay Packers fan.  I admit it.  This is not a popular team in my family, so I am the weird one.  They have had enormous fun poking at me since the team hasn't been playing well this season.  Actually, the NFC North isn't doing well this year.  It must be a bad year when the Vikings beat the Bears and tie the Packers, and the Lions are better than the rest of us.

The Packers started doing badly this year when their star quarterback, Aaron Rodgers was pulled out for injury.  Since he was pulled, they have not won a game without him.  This team really depends on the leadership of Rodgers.  Without him, they are lost and seemingly without direction.  Even under the leadership of their coach, they are lost.

This made me think about the churches of today, and how dependent we sometimes get on our leaders and pastors.  This is for a variety of reasons.  Some leaders are so charismatic that they naturally draw the attention of the church body.  When the body of the church forgets to check the words spoken by the leader with the Bible, they often begin to take the words of the leader as absolute truth.  What happens when the leader begins to make bad decisions or speak about things that do not line up with the Bible in this scenario?  This would lead to the destruction of the church.

A healthier church runs like a team that has many reliable players that can carry out the plays, with greater emphasis placed on the team's talent, rather than the talents of a single player.  Paul the Apostle was clear about this when he wrote his letter to the early Corinthian church.

"The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body.  So it is with the body of Christ.  Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free.  But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.  Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part.  If the foot says, "I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand," that does not make it any less a part of the body.  And if the ear says, "I am not part of the body because I am not an eye," how would you hear?  Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?  But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it.  How strange a body would be if it had only one part! Yes there are many parts, but only one body.  The eye can never say to the hand, "I don't need you." The head can't say to the feet, "I don't need you."  In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary.  All of you together are Christ's body, and each of you is a part of it."

1 Corinthians 12:12-22, 27 (NLT)

Paul goes on to describe the different gifts and talents God gives to each of us.  We are meant to share our gifts with each other and unify the body of Christ, while keeping Christ as the head.  Think about your talent and how you can contribute to your church.  

On Monday, the Bears will face the Cowboys.  Who will join me in hoping that Tony Romo is on his game and the Cowboys beat the Bears?