You Have Faith? Prove It.

Author

Wes Schaeffer
October 14, 2019

From today’s reading…

Through him we have received the grace of apostleship,

to bring about the obedience of faith,

for the sake of his name, among all the Gentiles,

among whom are you also, who are called to belong to Jesus Christ;…”

Those are two tough words for many: Obedience. Faith.

When kids accept a scholarship to play football for great teams like Alabama, Clemson, and LSU they have faith in the program created by the head coach and run by his assistant coaches.

In return for a scholarship and a chance to continue following their dreams, these kids agree to obey their coaches or face disciplinary actions, which could include being kicked off the team and out of school.

And not a week goes by that some kid in some big or small program doesn’t violate a team/school rule and is forced to miss a game, a few games, and/or is removed from the program.

When that happens—to a 19/20/21-year-old kid—millions of adults around the country scream in unison…

How could he be so stupid?”

Serves him right!”

He just threw away the opportunity of a lifetime!”

These athletes are spoiled. They don’t know how good they’ve got it!”

Now try this exercise.

  • Replace the football program with the 10 Commandments.

  • Replace the coaches with the Holy Trinity and the Apostles.

  • Replace the young, inexperienced, overwhelmed student athlete with yourself.

How many times have your guardian angels shaken their heads as they hang out at the local tavern up in heaven as they watch us on the array of flat panel TVs that circle the bar and said:

  • How could Wes/Joe/Mary be so stupid?

  • Serves Amy/Barbara/Mark right!

  • John/Susan/David just threw away the opportunity of a lifetime!

  • These humans are spoiled. They don’t know how good they’ve got it!

Unlike a football program where athletes can do “unforgivable” things that get them banned from the program for life, you and I play for a stern, yet patient and forgiving coach.

He has surrounded us with a great “cloud of witnesses.”

He has given us His Word through the Prophets and Apostles.

He has given us His only Son; His Word made flesh.

And He gives us daily bread.

Why? Because He will do anything and everything short of removing our free will to help us…

Stay the course. Keep the faith. Endure.