For a whole bunch of spring sports coaches, this is the week they dread. Baseball, softball, tennis and golf coaches in the KC area are faced with holding tryouts and making cuts. No matter how obvious it is, it's never enjoyable to tell someone who wants to be part of our program that there just isn't a place for them on our teams. That is hard...when a coach is in the position of being a judge of talent, and then has to exercise 'final judgment' on the hopes and dreams of a young athlete by cutting them. Once the cuts are made, and the final team is in place, the coach transitions from his/her role as judge to one of guide/mentor/disciplinarian. There is plenty of work to be done to make each player the best they can be, and yet, everyone is securely part of the team. Judgment has passed.There is an interesting spiritual parallel here. Placing our faith in the saving work of Christ puts us securely and eternally in God's family. John writes, "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God". (John 1:12) In Christ we are God's children. We are co-heirs with Christ, who becomes our brother as well as our Savior. Once we join this 'team', God doesn't stop working on us, we have simply made the cut. We are securely part of the team for eternity. Judgment has passed.
Jerry Bridges writes, "He cares about our conduct and will discipline us when we refuse to repent of conscious sin. But God is no longer our Judge. Through Christ He is now our heavenly Father who disciplines us only out of love and only for our good".
When athletes on my team make a mistake, they should expect to be corrected. It would be pretty unloving to allow someone to keep making the same mistakes again and again. When my own children fall short of my expectations, they should expect discipline and correction. They need not fear being removed from my love or kicked out of our family. They are my children, dearly loved no matter what. How much more will our heavenly Father treat us as dearly loved children?
So for coaches in the midst of holding tryouts and faced with making cuts, I feel for you. Treat each player the way you would want your child treated. For all of us, let's always keep in mind that in Christ, we are eternally secure in our Father's perfect love.
Paul reminds us, "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus"
(Romans 8:1). Amen.
80's Lyric
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