FOOSBALL

Today Sarah and I are flying back to Cali after enjoying some time with Sarah’s fam in Colorado.  One of the days we went to an 80-year-old birthday party at one of the family member’s houses (A house so big I’m convinced 3 of my houses could fit in it).  It was a great party:  Great food, great family stories, and great music playing in the background (Bruno Mars was singing something about “Uptown Funk” giving it to us.  For the life of me I couldn’t figure out what “it” was).  

But the crown jewel of the party was down these grand spiral stairs where round after round of battles were fought on a foosball table.  Upstairs, Bruno was singing about a heat so hot that it would shame a dragon into retirement.  But down stairs little plastic men were spin kicking in hopes of getting the ball to score a goooooooooooaaaaaal!  

In studying my opponent’s game play and technique I couldn’t help but notice how each of us played how we live:  I’m a very logical person who over thinks everything.  And that’s how I played (Just look at how I started this paragraph.  I studied my opponent’s technique for foosball!  That’s the definition of over thinking things.).   I played this well thought out game of calm gameplay and careful ball handling.  I actually tried to get my players to tap the ball to each other down the field in order to score.  

Then there was my nephew.  He’s got this amazing head of dark red, Irish hair.  He’s this hilarious tall and lanky young teen who’s aways active and fearless.  His game play was passionate with lots of hard power shots, cheering and plenty of jokes.  

Then there was a 9-year old cousin who played the sweetest game.  For her there was a lot of giggling and kicking her foot and bouncing and squealing.  

Each of us had an opportunity to win.  Each of us did it our way.  

I’ve been thinking an awful lot about authenticity lately.  I’m at my best when I’m me.  

David overheard the anti-God words coming from the giant, Goliath.  Apparently the giant had been calling out God’s people for weeks and King Saul and the army did nothing.  David couldn’t understand this.  He tells Saul that he’s willing to take out the giant.  Then something interesting happens:  Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. 1 Samuel 17:38
Isn’t it interesting how someone who’s afraid to try, has no problem telling you how to do it?  “Here David, put this on.  This is how I’d do it if I had the guts to face the giant.”

David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. “I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off. Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine. 1 Samuel 17:39-40
David rejects the unfamiliar for what’s more him.  And we all know how the story ends:  A legend is born trusting God while being himself and a giant dies.

This isn’t one of those, “Let’s build your self-esteem, you’ve got the power to do anything you want to do” blogs.  This is one of those, “Trust God and be you” ones.  So much time is wasted running from how God shaped and crafted us in order to try being someone else.  WHAT WOULD SO N’ SO DO?  WHAT WOULD THEY SAY?  WHAT WOULD THEY WEAR?  Instead of WHAT CAN JESUS DO THROUGH ME?

Don’t despise your shyness.  How can Jesus channel your loud mouth?  You’re more inside your head and contemplative?  Great!  God can use that too!  Perhaps you’ve got no style and bad penmanship.  Run with it!  Honor God with your hideous wardrobe and chicken scratch writing. God’s tickled with how He made you.  Embrace it!