Sand Pits

So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now!
-1 Corinthians 5:16

"Reno up, Reddy on deck!"
A spring day feels like forever ago, but a moment in April keeps coming back to me. Plus, the Olympics start this week, so it's relevant!

Since I don't coach in the spring my evenings are free to cheer on my kids and enjoy being a parent in the stands. But I do have a track and field background, so every now and then I get pulled into helping out at their meets (yeah, right. We both know I love it). 

It was a home track meet and I was asked to officiate the long jump. I gladly agreed to help out, secretly happy that I would have a reason to be on the infield and get a great vantage point for the competition. But it had been a while since I last did this. And I had completely forgotten how much hard work it would entail... 
Call out the jumpers name. Make sure the approach lane is clear. Confirm that the takeoff foot didn't foul. Mark the landing spot in the sand. Measure the jump. Record the jump. Rake the sandpit flat. Repeat. 

I was glad I had some teenage helpers. But as the day wore on with well over 100 jumps, we all started to get tired. And when we got tired, do you know the first thing that suffered? The raking. And that makes sense, because it's by far the hardest task. 


Preparing the sandpit after every single jump for the next jumper takes real effort. It’s unfair to the next athlete if you leave holes or mounds in the sand when it's their turn. They need to be given a smooth, fresh surface to land on. It doesn't matter how much the previous jumper messed up the sandpit. The next jumper deserves a clean slate. 

A couple times when my sweaty student volunteers got a little lazy, I grabbed the rake and did a few extra passes, reminding them that it needs to be flat for each jumper, even though it was tiring. 
Hold up a minute.
What an interesting commentary on life as we relate to one another. Sometimes previous experiences with people leave us exhausted for the next ones. We've been hurt, and we've simply had interactions that require a lot of emotional energy. This is simply the reality of being human. And I have no doubt that I've been the one in those categories for other people, too. But when someone creates a fairly deep dent in my sandpit, it can be exhausting to rake it smooth for the next person I come across. 

It's all too easy for me to leave holes and hills for my next encounter. I become a little less gracious. My cynicism and judgment takes over, or my quick ability to form a bias emerges. 
I bet he's got complaints too.  
People are just so exhausting. 
I know this type. 

One of the great tasks of a Christ follower is to become so deeply formed by Jesus that the words of the Apostle Paul ring true for us: 
We have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. (2 Cor 5:16)

As disciples, we learn to see each interaction as an opportunity to display and convey God's radical love to others. We prepare to meet each individual with hope and wonder, ready to recognize the image of God in them. As we encounter others, we do so with the awareness that God has made us new, and therefore we see them with humility and care. In these moments, cynicism will not dominate our interactions with others. Challenging moments we've been through won't destroy our ability to welcome others into our lives. 

This means that we have to do the daily work of raking our pits freshly before each person we meet (in my head that phrase didn't sound so much like personal grooming). This means praying for people more. This means taking moments to soak in God's love and grace throughout every day. This means seeing people from a sacred point of view. 

We want to lead with graciousness, not with cynicism. This is the way of love. Each person that God brings in front of us gets to receive a slate as fresh as the one that Jesus gives us each day. This is especially hard to do when we're tired(lawd have mercy!). Or hungry. Or digitally overstimulated. Or overbusy. So I need to make sure I'm rested and ready for full days of raking. You probably do too. 

Because we Jesus people no longer look at others from a worldly point of view.  

Jesus, help me live your reconciliation. 

Peace,
Keith

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