KNOCKOUT !!

8, 9, 10... yer out!! Timothy Dalrymple at Patheos writes a sensational piece on the value of suffering and how Christ fills suffering with purpose.... the hat tip goes to hotair headlines under miscellany of all places...

It is hard for me to make the transition between suffering and salvation but Dr. Dalrymple so accurately describes how suffering doesn't enter our lives shouting, but instead by the powerful quieting of the chatter of unimportant things.

For whatever reason we can hear, feel and yes, I believe "catch a glimpse of the kingdom" as Mike Cope described at Winterfest just a couple of days ago, in the midst of pain.

skubalon

In Philippians 3.4-6 Paul lays out his "qualifications" for being highly regarded by men. He has an impressive resume' for the criteria demanded by the religious ruling class of the day. Down in verse 8 Paul makes an equally impressive comparison of his strengths just listed to the surpassing greatness or excellency of knowing Christ. Paul considers the bullet points so desirous by men as dung or rubbish. At Winterfest there was an emphasis on all the things our society encourages us to pursue. In comparison to knowing Christ it is all "skubalon." Skubalon is the Greek word for dung or rubbish; things worthless and detestable.

Jesus pointed this out to the Pharisees who loved money in Luke 16.15b "... What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight." The stage at Winterfest was filled with stuff like an electric guitar, big screen TV and a ton of other things representing all of the valuable stuff in the character's life in the skit. After dying, this person was awarded the prize of everything he had valued in his life. In comparison to the joy of knowing Christ and receiving eternal life, it all looked like skubalon.

In our day to day lives it is extremely challenging to abandon the life of trying to accumulate skubalon and instead embrace the life of accumulating the treasure, the prize, the crown that will not tarnish, rust or get stolen. Recognizing skubalon when we see it and placing our priorities on the things having an eternal value is a challenge not limited to our teenagers.

Now THAT'S Integrity

One of the speakers at Winterfest was the Olympic Gold Medal winner Mike Marsh. He excelled in track in High School and at UCLA. Upon turning pro, his then trainer confronted him with the fact that due to so many athletes taking performance enhancing drugs, (everybody's doing it) Mike would never make it on hard work, desire, talent and commitment alone. Mike's trainer was so sure about this, he gave Mike a choice. Either start taking steroids or find a new trainer.

Mike found a new trainer.

Many aspiring Olympic athletes are asked the simple question: If you could take a pill guaranteeing a gold medal in your sport, but also guaranteeing your death in 10 years, would you take the pill. Many answered yes to that question and also answer yes to steroids and other performance enhancing drugs. Mike talked to the teens at Winterfest about not taking the easy road in life of acceptance, inclusion and popularity when the sacrifice you will be called to make is your integrity.

Perseverance and Patience

Roger Crouch was born colorblind. After his application to become an astronaut or military pilot was turned down because of this inborn inability, Roger could have easily justified surrendering to the impossibility of his dream of space travel as an astronaut. His application rejected for over ten years, make that twenty, no; make that an application rejected for over 30 years running did not discourage this man from continuing to apply. By now Roger was a scientist working with metallurgy in weightless conditions and in April of 1997 he realized his dream of space flight as an astronaut/scientist aboard the space shuttle Columbia.

Roger spoke to the teens at Winterfest and acknowledged that while realizing a dream of space flight might be "a" prize, nothing compares to "the" prize God has in mind for us through Christ. When I think about waiting for God to deliver, my timetable is considerably shorter than 30 years. Roger's commitment and determination coupled with the perseverance and patience is truly inspirational.