Cool Gear!
Here are some random thoughts from the mind of Jerry Godsey…
I love ice hockey, and I would love even more to play it. The trouble is that they play it on ice (hence the name), and I can’t ice skate. Not even a little bit. Plus, if you’re the goalie you get to wear cool gear.
Baseball is a pretty perfect sport. There is plenty of action, and it affords you plenty of time to get a soda and a hot dog when there isn’t. Plus, if you’re the catcher you get to wear cool gear.
After hating it my whole life, I am learning to enjoy soccer. I have even picked out a favorite English Premier League team. I chose Arsenal as my team. The only reason I chose Arsenal is because they have a cannon on the front of their jersey. There is no cool gear for soccer goalies unless you count their big Hamburger Helper gloves. I don’t.
My favorite sport is football. Everybody gets to wear cool gear, and you run into other people at a high rate of speed. Granted, when I played I ran into people at a much slower rate of speed. I was never very fast, but I made up for it by not being real talented. Did I mention that everyone gets to wear cool gear?
As a Christian I get to wear cool gear, too. I get to carry a 25 pound family Bible and wear a cross made out of railroad spikes around my neck. When I am wearing that cool gear everybody knows I am a Christian, and I am ready for anything.
Um, no.
The Bible really does talk about the gear Christians get to wear, check out Ephesians 6:12-17: “Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Pretty sweet gear, huh?
God’s armor has everything I need. It has truth to help me stand my ground. It includes a shield to stop fiery arrows, it even has a helmet and a sword. How cool is that?
The one thing God’s armor doesn’t have is protection for my backside. There’s nothing there to cover me if I retreat. No “booty pad of health,” or “backplate of scarediness.” Nope, I’m only covered if I press on.
In order to be politically correct there are times when the world requires that I retreat from my beliefs. I am supposed to keep my mouth shut when I am faced with situations that go against what I believe to be right. The problem is that I don’t have any retreat armor.
So what do I do? I stand firm in my convictions and beliefs. I take God’s armor and fight battles God’s way. I take the truth and I push forward. I make sure that when I speak out, I speak out with God’s love first and foremost. I don’t go out of my way to be offensive or controversial, I speak the truth in love. And I keep as my main goal to win people to Christ, not just prove I’m right.
Pretty cool gear, huh?
Today’s Readings: Joshua 7,8; Psalm 69: 1 Corinthians 5
For more posts, or to receive these daily via email, go to jerrygodsey.com