A Tough Bond Call

The following is a copy of the Thomas Question email devotional. You can subscribe to the email edition from our website and tune into our podcast.

While sitting in the theater watching Casino Royale this past weekend (which gets my vote for the best Bond, the best Bond film, and the best foot chase sequence in the history of film, period), we were getting to one of those moments when you sense a plot twist coming and I wanted to call it. Why? Because along with you and almost everyone else I know, I have an almost endless inner need to try to make myself look smart.

But here’s the thing: it only makes you look smart if you (1) call it before it’s obvious and (2) make the right call. So you’re left with this delicate balance of holding off long enough to be sure of your answer, but at the same time giving an answer while it’s still meaningful to do so…

Life can be like that. You never seem to get enough evidence so that life’s tough calls are obvious. I’m talking about reward-able choices. The only valuable decision is the one that DIDN’T make itself. If the answer was obvious, you don’t deserve a reward for making it. And I wonder how often are we waiting for our choices to be made for us – in life – by chance or circumstance or some chunk of wisdom that makes it all plain as day, and takes all the risk away? But if life was just math, even an idiot could learn to get the right answers. Which begs a question: what about life as a test of character?

I have a suggestion: you were MADE to make choices that won’t MAKE themselves. The risk is the point. I’ll even risk declaring a principle: the mistakes, misadventures and missteps of a courageous life are better than the best that can come from a life of un-made decisions. The point is not no-risk, the point is intelligent risk.

Jesus tells a story in Matthew chapter 25 about three servants taking three levels of risk. 2 take reasonable risks and earn a good return. The third servant takes no risk at all and simply keeps what he’s got. I’m sure you’re sensing the outcome. Even poor choices are deemed better than no choices at all.

I guess I’m trying to encourage you not to be afraid. Our best life is somewhere in between having all your blanks filled in and having too many left empty. The valuable decisions are the one’s that won’t make themselves but also were not “shots in the dark”. “Evidence” only takes us so far and then we must choose the remaining distance based on courage, intuition and faith.

Will you make the call? The next plot twist is just around the corner for you. The most important decisions won’t make themselves, but neither do you have to risk it all. Just express a little courage. It’s what we’re doing as a church right now: taking steps towards an outcome we can’t be sure of. Join us in the journey!

This Sunday we’re delving into the last part of our fall series, “A Guide to the Satisfied Life”. Need to catch up on missed Sundays? Visit our website and tune into our podcast. I hope to see you there and I hope you bring someone with you.

CSW

LAST SUNDAY
What can we put in our lives to dramatic effect (see above). Visit our website and tune into our podcast.

THIS SUNDAY
Change the way you view your SELF (to dramatic effect).

YOU AND YOUR "THING"
You don't build a great church with a few hero's. It's a few small decisions multiplied across many people. If we take small steps towards a thing that only God can do - and it happens - then those small things were well worth taking. Take a step. Become a great church with us. Be surprised at what it does. Be the Menthos!