Luke 18: 10,13,14; 2 Timothy 4:7

Our best for the world

Friends, in the lectionary readings for today there are lessons for how to live life spiritually.  First we have the parable Jesus tells of the Pharisee and the tax collector who is more like a loan shark.  Jesus gives us the lesson of humility, a theme that comes back time and time in the Bible.  Lao Tzu wrote: “there are three treasures that I keep and cherish. The first is love, the second is simplicity, the third humility. Those full of compassion may be generous. Those who are humble may govern others. “ He also wrote:”He who stands on tiptoe will quickly lose his balance, he who takes too many steps will not last the distance. He who wants to shine will shed no light. He who wants to be valued will go unnoticed.”   The second passage is about running the race of life.   That too is a well-known theme to us. But what if we put the two together?  What if we combine humility with running a race.  To run a race to us a competitive thing.  We would tell people what was our number or rank. “She came in tenth. Pretty good!”  But what if running the race had nothing to do with people being the best or close to the best.  What  if the mere fact of the race was all that mattered?

You think we are competitive in this country. In many countries in Asia they tend to rank children in class according to their grades and other accomplishments. Imagine being the last in the class. That’ll do your self-confidence a lot of good wouldn’t it?  But in Asia the winner in a race may be more humble than in the West.   We have trouble keeping “becoming the best” separate from “doing the best you can.”

Recently I talked to you about a talk at Presbytery by Dewitt Jones, a former National Geographic photographer and some of his life lessons.  Here is another one.  Jones says that we should not be the “best in the world;” we should be the “best for the world.”  One word makes all the difference and creates a huge perspective shift. Just move from “in” to “for.”

For a century or so the Chicago Cubs have been the team that every loved just for being there and competing. Winning wasn’t there thing and that sort of added to their fame.  Supporting became about loyalty and longsuffering.

Pep Guardiola is a well known soccer coach. He has won two European trophies with Barcelona, has coached Bayern Munich, the best team in Germany, and is now coaching one of the best teams in England.  In a recent interview he talked about his mentor, the famous footballer and coach Johan Cruijff who passed away recently and who taught Guardiola ever since he was a teenager. Cruijff is known for being kind of a soccer philosopher who would say things like: “soccer is a simple game but is very difficult to play it simply” or “there is only one ball so you have to make sure you have it.” Guardiola said that “when I am losing a game, when I am doubting myself, ‘he comes to me.’”  He says that at such moments he remembers Cruijff’s words.  One thing he always said to Guardiola was: “you have to do what you believe or it will not work out.”  Another thing he said was: “if you do not enjoy what you are doing, you will not be very good.” That is great advice for the church.  It has a tie-in to the bonus passage in your program from Luke 8. People who do not hear God’s word because they are distracted by life are like seed that falls between the rocks. It cannot grow.  The word does not speak to them. Their heart isn’t in it.

Friends, can we live life not comparing ourselves to others? Can we not ask who our parents’ favorite child is? Can we not ask who the smartest is? Can we not ask who the best looking is? Can we not ask who the richest is? Can we not ask who the most influential is or the most powerful or the greatest is?  Can we just ask: are we the best for the world?  Are we the best for God? Are we the best for our family? Are we the best for our friends? Are we the best for our community?  Are we finding that niche that we must fill in our time? Is our heart in it? Do we believe in what we’re doing?

I think this is key for a congregation such as this, to ask: are we the best for the world, the best  we can be? Not more, not less.  Are we going to believe in what we’re doing? Is our heart going to be in it?

Friends, comparing ourselves to others is a waste of time and a burden for the heart.  No one’s task on earth is the same. No congregation’s task is the same either.  Finding that path to walk that is only ours is the challenge we must accept. There is only one race to run: our own.  There is no reason to be ashamed of that and apparently no reason to brag about it either. May God give us strength.