More on Offense!
When we get tripped into playing defense, all our time is consumed by responding to and defending not by moving forward. So, what’s the future look like and how do we get there? A lot of energy and time is consumed playing defense. Defense is about holding ground, not necessarily advancing ground!
When I look at the life of Jesus, I think he played offense almost exclusively! It’s almost Easter… look at his movement toward the cross… he definitely did not let the critics keep him from the larger reality of his destiny! Nor did he loose much time or energy focusing on the present challenge, but was focused on what he knew was ahead.
Just this week I had a situation where it would have been easy to slip into defensive mode, but I stayed on offense and God honored that in a big way… can’t disclose details yet… but one day it will be a great story of God’s awesome power and provision to share with others!
21 Mar 2007 Martin Hutchison
Good thoughts about offense. A group here in Modesto is studying Borg/Crossan’s book The Last Week during Lent and last night we were looking at Tuesday of Holy Week. What an incredible day in the temple grounds for Jesus where he is under attack after attack by the cheif priests, scribes, sadduces, etc. Pushed to be on defense, he is able to respond in ways that rise above their traps and speak instead of the Kingdom of God (Mark 11:20–13:27). We remarked about the exhausting feel to us of that day, but marveled at the presence of Jesus.
It reminded many of us who are familiar with McLaren’s writings of that sense of Jesus being above the line that people wanted to put him on and the call for us to get off the lines that we so easily try to categorize people with and instead respond from the Jesus place above the line. Maybe not on offense or defense, but rather playing a different game that speaks of truth and love and hope and unity.
Thanks for the thoughts, Martin.
WOW! There really is a Russ Matteson! I was begining to think that I was the only living contributor to this thing!
Thanks for chiming in!!!! Keep it up!
See you in Cleveland.