I was a middle school and high school soccer coach for many years. The players I coached did what I told them to do without question. I sometimes wondered why- why did these 20 players obey this one guy?
The reason they did what I told them to do is that they "needed" what I could give- playing time.
If they didn't do what I told them to do, they would sit the bench. Ride the pines. They would have sparkly clean uniforms at the end of the game and would be the laughingstock of the school.
So they did what I told them to do.
I remember one player I coached a long time ago who wouldn't do what I told him to do. I told him to get in line for a drill- he said, "No." I told him, "You get in that line, son, or you'll be running laps." He said, "Who cares?"
I said, "Buddy, if you keep this up, you'll be on the bench the entire game tomorrow." He said even louder, "WHO CARES?" I said, "One more word, and you are off this team!" This time he shouted, "WHO CARES??????"
I realized in that moment that I had no control over this kid, because he didn't value what I could give him. He didn't want playing time, he didn't want to be on the team, and therefore I couldn't dictate to him what he should do.
I wonder if we as Christians are like the other players on the team being coached by the world and its values. We don't speak up for our faith because we want what the world can give us- popularity. We don't live any differently than the non-Christians around us because we want what the world can give us- comfort. We adopt the same sexual values and same family decisions as the non-Christians around us because we want what the world can give us- approval.
Only when we as Christians can look at the world around us and say, "WHO CARES?" can we be out from under the influence of our non-Christian, secular culture. We need to be able to look at a world that says, "Money is what you need!" and say "WHO CARES?" We need to be able to look at a world that says, "Politics will solve all the problems!" and say, "WHO CARES?"
We need to be able to look at a world that says, "Get in line with how we dress, how we think, how we behave, how we do things, or you'll be an outcast!" and say with a loud voice, "WHO CARES?"
We need to stop wanting what the world can give us.
When we stop wanting what the world can give us, it will have no more influence over us.
However, far too many Christians want what the world can give, and therefore allow it to dictate our values, agendas, lifestyles, and beliefs. We are living under a tyrannical coach whose only power over us is there because we want the rewards only he can give.
What do you need to say "WHO CARES?" to today?
The reason they did what I told them to do is that they "needed" what I could give- playing time.
If they didn't do what I told them to do, they would sit the bench. Ride the pines. They would have sparkly clean uniforms at the end of the game and would be the laughingstock of the school.
So they did what I told them to do.
I remember one player I coached a long time ago who wouldn't do what I told him to do. I told him to get in line for a drill- he said, "No." I told him, "You get in that line, son, or you'll be running laps." He said, "Who cares?"
I said, "Buddy, if you keep this up, you'll be on the bench the entire game tomorrow." He said even louder, "WHO CARES?" I said, "One more word, and you are off this team!" This time he shouted, "WHO CARES??????"
I realized in that moment that I had no control over this kid, because he didn't value what I could give him. He didn't want playing time, he didn't want to be on the team, and therefore I couldn't dictate to him what he should do.
I wonder if we as Christians are like the other players on the team being coached by the world and its values. We don't speak up for our faith because we want what the world can give us- popularity. We don't live any differently than the non-Christians around us because we want what the world can give us- comfort. We adopt the same sexual values and same family decisions as the non-Christians around us because we want what the world can give us- approval.
Only when we as Christians can look at the world around us and say, "WHO CARES?" can we be out from under the influence of our non-Christian, secular culture. We need to be able to look at a world that says, "Money is what you need!" and say "WHO CARES?" We need to be able to look at a world that says, "Politics will solve all the problems!" and say, "WHO CARES?"
We need to be able to look at a world that says, "Get in line with how we dress, how we think, how we behave, how we do things, or you'll be an outcast!" and say with a loud voice, "WHO CARES?"
We need to stop wanting what the world can give us.
When we stop wanting what the world can give us, it will have no more influence over us.
However, far too many Christians want what the world can give, and therefore allow it to dictate our values, agendas, lifestyles, and beliefs. We are living under a tyrannical coach whose only power over us is there because we want the rewards only he can give.
What do you need to say "WHO CARES?" to today?
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