April 26, 2008

It's a Good Thing God isn't an NBA Referee


It's funny, basketball is my favorite sport. I enjoy playing the game even though in my ever increasing age what little talent I had is getting less and less and my recovery time from playing is getting greater and greater. I love college basketball more than the NBA, but at this time of the year I do watch a few NBA playoff games. You see I really do not like watching the NBA, because there are two sets of rules. One for the highly talented, famous ones and one for the rookies and the not so talented. If a sport has rules then they should apply to all and not just a few.

As I sat and watched one game tonight I thought about if God was an NBA referee. Would you have to be rich or famous to be worthy of salvation? Would it be about the return on His investment in you? Would He favor some of us over others because of our talents? Would pastors gain a greater favor with Him than say a lay leader? If God were to treat us like NBA referees referee an NBA game we would not know how to get to heaven or even if we did our best if we would even get into heaven.

I find comfort in knowing that my God is a fair God and that He does not judge us based on who we are. We all start out as sinners (Romans 3:23 "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,") and it's by Gods grace that we are seen as perfect (Romans 3:24 "being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus"). It is not based on how we use the talent God gifted us with and how we use it. It is not based on a popularity contest or how many good deeds we do. 

As I watch the NBA I will be reminded now and find comfort in the fact that my God is the same God for me as He is with you. I will find comfort in the fact that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ for both of us. I will find comfort in the fact that there is nothing I can do to gain salvation outside of proclaim Christ as my Lord and Savior. 

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