Offense or Defense

We begin a new section, so take time to read Matthew 18:6-14; Mark 9:38-50; Luke 9:49-50. This section is about stumbling. On any team there is offense and defense. The offense is trying to score by getting to a goal. The defense is trying to stop them from scoring. Simple. So the defense gets some really big dudes and puts them on the line (this is football) who try to clog up the holes so smaller guys, like running backs, can't get through. Safeties, linebackers, and defensive ends knock down passes and tackle tight-ends so they can't break the plane of the goal line. Really big and tall guys jump up to block attempted field goals from going through the uprights. Fullbacks are good at running over folks to get to the goal. Running-backs are good at zigging and sagging and jumping over the big guys who are trying to trip them, crush them, and otherwise prevent them from gaining ground. We often compare life to such things as football or other sports. It might be fun to see these sweaty guys matching skills and strategies on the astro-turf, but in life when the goal line is eternal life we don't want to find ourselves on the defense trying to slam some guy's face in the dirt who is trying to get to Jesus. Get this scene in your mind of the little mentally handicapped child who always wanted to run the football across the finish line just like his heroes do. All the big tough guys line up and the play is run, the crowd is cheering, and all the big defensive guys easily fall down, get out of the way, and the offensive guys form a protective bubble around the kid and run with him all the way to the goal, hoisting him up on their shoulders and parade him around the field in triumphant glory!!!

This was what Jesus was talking about. Christians are all about helping others succeed in finding what they are seeking, eternal life and Jesus, and not about seeing how many people we can discourage from running the race. Frankly we have had just a little trouble knowing the difference. I decided a long time ago that I want to be on the offense helping to get the team across the goal line and not on the defense trying to prevent others from winning. But, there is a grave responsibility in this. I must be very clear what the goal line is, what the path to the goal line is, and how to actually help a person stay on the path that leads to the goal line, even when they think the path they are on will get them there. This is tough to do. But no matter how tough it may be, this is what Jesus wants us to do. The Pharisees for the most part were playing defense, protecting their traditions which they mistook for the goal line. As a person pursued the real goal line, a right relationship with God, they would hinder that person by throwing a tradition down in front of them and telling them that the tradition was the goal line. One of two things would happen. Either the person would accept the tradition as the goal, and stop pursuing the real goal, or they would stumble over the tradition making it harder to reach the real goal line.

It is interesting that offense and offence sound the same but can be so different. One is about forward progress, and the other is about hindering forward progress. Jesus is about helping people ENTER. He is the door. He is the way. He is the path. As a Christ followers it is our job to open the door, show the way, and clear the path. I want to be the big guy on the line that opens the hole for the little guy behind the line to triumphantly break through the line and run to victory, and then to high five him when he scores knowing that his victory is mine.