Equal Parts Misguided and Misunderstood

I used to be a baseball player in high school. I actually loved it because I felt good at pitching. Hitting was not one of my finer points (I hit one home run, in practice... on a windy day), but pitching I could do. It was nice too. I didn't have to be big and buff, but I felt big and buff.

Since high school my desire to be involved with sports at all has gone down dramatically. I read Donald Millers "Blue Like Jazz" and questioned why we even have sports after his space alien chapter. I would see people playing sports and wonder where "Jesus" was in it. I think I have my answer now.

My mom and dad had to talk me in to going to the last two games. In fact, I think I wouldn't have gone to one if I didn't feel the pressure. And you know what? Spending that time with people at the game turned out to be more beneficial than ten hours of reading crappy theology would have been. Enjoying people hitting home runs was better, and making fun of the opposing teams catcher was better.

The reason being: I think we as Christians tend to think that to follow Jesus we must spend time alone, calculating his will, and figuring out what areas we are currently failing in.

I honestly couldn't be more prepared to cuss.

The one thing I want to change about this year is that. I forsake plenty of opportunity to actually help people and actually love on them by never actually stepping out of my comfort zone. I spend the rest of my time in my comfort zone which consists of: music, reading, and talking to my closest friends about God.

Ours is a generation defined by subcultures. They top one another and see things in a more "educated" manner than the next. Don't think so? Read pitchfork.com, king of indie music sites. They sit around and listen to weird music and think it's genius. Says who?

This guy thinks he's over that.

It's time to stop secluding yourself to follow Jesus so that you are sure you are doing it right. It's time to stop being "radical" and it's time to live saved. It's time to stop forcing God into every conversation or dropping an "I'll pray for you" to something dramatic even though you don't intend to.

It's time to start living under grace and experiencing life. Make some new friends and be thankful for old ones. Be less judgmental and more loving. Open up your heart to God, let Him use you as you are. Stop working so hard.

We are all foolish Galatians at times.

(I guess, personally, I learn a lot when I go to NAIA baseball games)