Wal-Mart, Tiger, and Dominance

25 03 2008

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In Sulphur Springs, Texas we have three big grocery stores: Wal-Mart (yeah, it’s a Super Center), Brookshires, and Piggly Wiggly.  While all from time-to-time get customers, one dominates the grocery business in this town.  The Wal-Mart Super Center is constantly packed.  It has all the advantages: lower prices, more check out lines, ability to buy your kids superman pajamas and a plasma tv on the same trip, and open 24 hours everyday.  Sure Brookshires and ”the Pig” have business or they would close, but Wal-Mart consistently out-do them.  (Side note:  I try to avoid Wal-Mart as much as possible because of the obscene amount of florescent light and there is always a load of people there.)

I watched some of this week’s PGA golf tournament on TV.  One of the main reasons I watched was to see if Tiger Woods could continue his unbelievable winning streak.  Prior to this past weekend, Tiger had won every single golf tournament he played in so far this year.  Complete and utter dominance.  The golf announcers were talking that he was off his game this weekend and not playing well.  Do you realize that he still shot a -15, finished 5th, and lost by a mere two strokes?  He has become so dominant in professional golf that it is expected that he will win and be better than everyone else simply by showing up.  (Another side note:  I find it hilarious that people can’t figure out why Tiger is so dominant compared to the other golfers.  He is the only guy on tour that works out, that’s jacked, and that’s in shape.  All the other guys look like my Uncle Hal.  Think about it.  It makes sense.)

So what does Wal-Mart and Tiger Woods have in common?  They are dominant in what they do.  The question I ask myself: Is it a good thing for something/someone to be so much better than every single one of their competitors?  Is it a good thing for cities when Wal-Mart dominates sales?  Is it good for the PGA when Tiger dominates every tournament?  Is it a good thing that smaller, hometown grocery stores shut down or struggle month-to-month because Wal-Mart is down the street and they can’t compete?  Is it a good thing that when Tiger doesn’t play in a tournament many people (including myself) will not watch a second of their coverage.  Some say yes, others no.  This principle can be applied to anything that completely dominates their field.

Thoughts?


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Categories : Life, Sports

Jesus, the Strainer of My Life

25 03 2008

All my life I have heard speakers and ministers call people to a relationship with Jesus.   One of the ways that ministers often communicate this relationship is by asking individuals if they want Jesus to be the “Lord” of their life. 

There are many times where I have run into what I like to call “church” words.  “Church” words are words that are often spoken in our churches that are never actually explained, but words that you are supposed to know.  In youth ministry I see this a lot with teenagers because I think they are way better at being honest when they do not understand something.  I have learned that ”Lord” is actually one of these “church” words. 

I have been calling and leading people to committ to making Jesus the Lord of their life.  However, this can be really dangerous if people do not fully understand what that Jesus being the Lord of their life actually looks like.  It is like when I committed to helping with a local fundraiser only to learn when I got there that I was going to have be in a dunk tank in low 50 degree weather.  We have to know what we are committing to.

I was really struggling with how I could communicate to teenagers what making Jesus the Lord of their life really meant.  We do not live in a country or time where Lords are culturally relevant or common.  Finally God revealed how to explain Jesus being my Lord to me while I was making Ramen noodles.  Get this…Jesus is the strainer of my life.  Let me explain:  

When you are making noodles a few things are essential:  noodles, a pot, boiling water, and a strainer.  Now without pretending to be Rachel Ray, you simply cook the noodles in the pot of boiling water.  When the noodles are ready, you pour the noodles and water out of the pot into the strainer and your noodles are ready to eat.

Now what/who determines what you actually eat in that process?  Do you?  Yes, by free will you pick out what you want to eat.  You put in the necessary work to prepare the food, but the strainer actually determines what you eat.  The moment you pour the water and noodles into the strainer, you are no longer in control.  You are trusting the strainer to do its job (separate what you need to eat and what you do not need to eat) and you eat what the strainer determines you should eat.

In the same way when you accept Jesus as your Lord, Jesus becomes the strainer in your life.  Everything you do should go through Him.  He is the one who decides things for you.  Every situation that you are in should go through the strainer of Jesus when you accept Him as your savior.  When you do that, Jesus (not you) is the one who decides what you do.  How should you parent your child?  Put it in the strainer.  What boundaries should I have in my dating relationships?  Put it in the strainer.  How should I treat the guy nobody likes?  Put it in the strainer.  How should I handle my finances?  Put it in the strainer.  How do I treat my spouse when we are in a big fight?  Put it in the strainer. 

Get the point yet?  Jesus is a good strainer.  When we get serious about dedicating our entire life to Him, our life should look different.  That happens by putting our entire life in the strainer of Jesus and let Him determine what is kept and what is taken away.  What a beautiful way to live!

After thinking about Lordship this way, I realized that many people have accepted Jesus as their savior, but not their lord.  Jesus wants and can handle both jobs. 

Is Jesus the strainer of your life?


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Categories : Faith, Spirituality