January 23, 2023 - Home vs Away

I remember back in 5^th grade as I tried out for the 6^th grade basketball team, the excitement of not only finding out if I made the team, but also the excitement of if I made the travel team… there were certain criteria put in place to make the travel squad, (if I remember correctly one involved being able to do opposite-hand lay-ups properly), and I was able to meet the criteria. Therefore, I loved when the postings went up (not on a computer screen, but a piece of paper taped to the wall) and I saw my name listed with the 6^th graders… there was just something cool about getting to hop on the bus and then walk into an opposing gym!

If I fast-forward in my mind I think of playing on the road in high school… one night in particular I remember the crowd booing when I would make a basket or cheering when I would miss… The adrenaline was really flowing that night…

Yet as I thought about being on the road, I realized that the vast majority of points I scored… of assists I dished (teammates may be saying, “that wasn’t many”)… of rebounds I grabbed… of picks I set… HAPPENED AT HOME! (Have you ever thought about the fact that the leading all-time scorer in any arena is someone that played for the home team?)

The reason I point this out is that on Friday our team will make its way to southern FL and serve at a church on Sunday before hopping a plane on Tuesday to Budapest to serve there for a couple of weeks. It is exciting to be on the “travel team” BUT sometimes we forget the importance of the “home team.”

[NOTE: when I use the term “serve” as our definition of greatness and our mission… it starts and ends with the Gospel… WHERE CHRIST SERVED US… and when He was instructing His disciples to remember the Gospel, He said that should motivate them/us to serve one another… be some foot-washers… SERVANTHOOD SHOULD NEVER NEGLECT THE GOSPEL MESSAGE… THE GOSPEL IS ONE’S MOST IMPORTANT NEED… AND ONE’S GREATEST MOTIVATION!]

I am so thankful to get the opportunities we have abroad… yet I challenge all of us to remember that most of our serving stats should take place at home!

Be a difference maker in your “Jerusalem” and then to your “Judea/Samaria” and then to the “End of the earth”! (Acts 1:8)

Do pray for our travels…