7/28/2019 Getting It Done; Playing Fair
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Getting It Done
Dream Big, Work Hard, Play Fair, Have Fun, Make a Difference
Scripture Thought for the Week: "My brothers, as believers in
our glorious Lord
Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism." James 2:1
When I was in 7th grade I vividly remember going into the field
at the back of the school
during recess/recreation time. Elementary school extended from
1st through 7th grade in
rural Virginia (in my day). There was no middle school or junior
high for those of us raised
in the country in the 1960's!
As we gathered underneath a big oak tree, softball was the
chosen sport for participation
on this particular afternoon. Not having played the game very
much, I was extremelynervous when I came up to bat. With all eyes
on me, I struck out each time. When the next
school day brought another opportunity for recess, you could
imagine my surprise when the
game of choice turned out to be softball once again! However,
this time two team captains
were chosen and I stood with my class as the number of us
dwindled to one person
standing to be picked.....me. What extreme humiliation for an
adolescent ego. I never once
played the game at school again for fear of that same feeling of
embarrassment.
Consequently, if I am still penning this story fifty years later
we can agree the hurt I felt
has left quite the emotional scar!
As an impressionable and fragile eleven year old, I felt that
being introduced to a game of
which I had limited knowledge and ability was unfair. Added to
the unfairness, being
picked dead last on the second day of softball reeked of
favoritism. The team captains
were gathering players that they felt would secure a victory at
the end of recess!
Christians, regardless of age, must encompass non-favoritism
when incorporating the
element of fair play. When favoritism raises its ugly head, love
and kindness lose a
foothold and there is not enough room for favoritism and love to
co-exist. The second
chapter of James is devoted to this subject. Love and mercy are
the key elements inovercoming this type of discrimination. Once
love and mercy take a seat at the head table,
playing fair will naturally be drawn to them.
Why would playing fair be listed among the five suggested ways
of getting the job done
for Christ? Reflecting on our first component to get the job
done, dreaming big covers
imagining ways to serve the Lord outside the box of our comfort
zone. Working hard, our
