Hi everyone,
A few days ago our family decided on a little outing to this new type of “game spot” (I’m not sure how else to describe it). Without naming names and giving them free advertising, it’s basically this large area with several rooms, and each of the rooms have a series of team games to play using buttons, lights, sensors, and what have you. Groups of 2-5 have to work together to beat the different levels and move up to the next level and hopefully beat them all. But seeing as each of the 30+ games have like 10 levels each, that would be quite the feat (and also a lot of money).
One room in particular I found really fun. On each wall opposite each other there are a series of lit up buttons. The objective is to dodge the laser that shoot parallel to the “button” walls to make it to the other side, and hold onto those buttons to prove that you made it.
I thought I figured it out, so I told the family to make it to the other side and hit all the buttons while I stayed on the original side and hold down as many as I could there. I figured that the room isn’t smart enough to know who crossed it and who didn’t.
Turns out I was wrong. We failed the first attempt because I was trying to cheat. The room was smart enough.
In my insatiable desire to win, we ended up losing. In my ambition, I lost sight of the point of the game and ruined it for us all. In my focus to accomplish the goal, I actually negated the fun that we were supposed to be having as a family.
I mean, we still had fun in the other rooms, but just that particular game was cut short directly because of my actions.
Lesson learned, I guess.
Here are the readings for next week:
Jeremiah 17:5-10
Psalm 1
1 Corinthians 15:12-20
Luke 6:17-26
And here is a video of me reading these readings.
I find the contrasts listed in these readings interesting. Jeremiah has the “cursed” and the “blessed”, Paul has the “pitied” and the “faithful”, and Jesus has the “woes” and the “blessings”. It’s like do one and get bad, but do the other and get good. Or so it seems.
What I really thing is going on here is how scripture is warning us of the ways we just don’t get it. How we might think we know how to get where we want to go but inadvertently miss the mark. How we might put our trust in the ways and perhaps short cuts of the world but then lose sight of the life that truly is life.
I get it though, the world promises a lot, with the prestige that comes from riches and the respect that comes with power. And it’s hard sometimes to not be tempted to reach for those promises of worldly glory. But our scriptures tells us otherwise, that there is value in humility, there is love in service, there is blessing in selflessness.
There is life in the community of the Spirit, that lifts us up and reminds us of how we are redeemed and saved by the love and grace of Christ. This is life not ours for the selfish taking, but it is given to us to be humbly received.
Thanks be to God! Have a great week, everyone!