Living in the Tension
I have such a hate-love relationship with sports. The truth is, I hate how much I love them. Particularly, youth sports.
For example, this Sunday we volunteered our son to play in a tournament where the first game was at 8 am (on a Sunday, and on Mother’s Day). That’s the level of love we have for sports.
Do I wish we would start games later on Sunday? Yes.
Do I wish we could figure out a way to change the culture with crazy parents? Yes.
Do I think anything is going to change anytime soon? No.
And this is the tension.
As the father of this household, I have to live with this tension and manage it the best way I can. In accordance with my faith, and what I feel like the Lord is calling me to do based on any given situation.
And while it may not be sports, if you lead anything you have tension too. I guarantee it. Maybe it’s tension around whether to build the church-wide or deep. Or maybe it’s tension around a church member who is really difficult but has a high ceiling.
Because the church is filled with people it will be full of tension.
And what I wanted to remind you this morning is that - tension isn’t bad. Actually, tension is good. Tension reminds us to pay attention.
Think about the tension we put on a rubberband when we hold one side and we let someone else hold the other. The tension is great, it could snap at any moment. And at the same time, it demands our thoughts, our intentionality.
The truth is, there are only two ways to relieve the tension; let go, or walk towards the other person.
So, wherever you might have tension in your life - youth sports, people, or just what to do next in the church - I want to invite you to wrestle with the tension:
Should you let go or should you walk towards the other person?