One day I was having lunch with my family. We couldn't help but overhear this father yelling and condemning his young daughter for messing up at her soccer game. The poor girl was in tears and you could see whatever confidence she had left slowly fading into a painful self-hatred. Her father gave her an ultimatum, "Either you learn how to play or you quit before the next game." It was excruciating to watch this 8 year old girl look at her father with such hurt and desire for acceptance in her eyes. The rest of her family was on their phones, ignoring the situation. I couldn't help but wonder, when did playing a sport become more about winning than about playing the game? Where is the love and support for this girl at least attempting to play and trying her best? There is no room for messing up in a world full of competition.
In the words of the great Ricky Bobby, "If you ain't first, you're last." How true is that in the world we live in today? Everything, everything, is about results. If you don't get a high ACT score, you can't get into a good college. If your sports team doesn't win the championship, well you better say every curse word you can think of because no way are you going to support a losing team anymore. If you mess up at a job, there's no need to explain yourself, you might as well starting packing up your desk. A popular phrase is, "Work smarter, not harder." This type of thinking causes people to cut corners and to do things the easy way without really trying. Why reward someone for false hard-work? It only teaches the individual that they aren't appreciated as a person, only their skills are. This is because results are more valuable than effort. In a world where the outcomes are more important than the person trying to achieve them, there is no grace and forgiveness.
As Christians, we must stop and ask ourselves, "Would Jesus tolerate this type of behavior?" Of course he wouldn't. Jesus came here to comfort and save the hopeless and poor. When we, as believers, put down someone in our church because they couldn't achieve their goals, what are we showing non-believers about our loving and merciful God? God is so loving and accepting that no matter how many times we mess up or miss the target, he gives us another chance; not because we deserve it, but because he loves us enough to let us try and try again until we get it right. We are called to live like Jesus, but of course sin keeps us from ever truly reaching that point. What if God punished us all because we couldn't get there? No, he rewards us with eternal life because we tried. The thought alone of us putting in effort and serving Jesus is enough to please our heavenly Father. And the best thing about God is that even when we don't put in any effort at all, he still loves us. God doesn't put a condition on his love toward people. We could learn a lot if we practiced that ideal in our own lives.
So what now? If you're a boss at some company, don't be so quick to turn away the person struggling. If you're a student who sees a classmate falling behind in their work, be patient while they work things out instead of judging them. If you're a parent whose kid doesn't want what you planned for them, be supportive enough to watch them follow their own dreams. The list can go on and on, but the most important thing that every person can do is to help. Whether that means giving encouraging words, praying for someone, or physically helping someone accomplish a task, go the extra mile for someone. Sure, other people could do the task quicker and maybe even better, but you're showing a person that they matter more than some number on a piece of paper. We still live in a competitive culture, but that doesn't mean we have to continue to participate in that type of lifestyle as well. Jesus doesn't give up on you, now you don't give up on others.
Hebrews 6:10 "God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them."
