Olympic Fever

Well, the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China are well under way. Lots of excitement, heart breaks and heart warming stories abound. It's official, Olympic Fever has gripped the world, and what a show it is! The Opening Ceremonies have many thinking they were the best ever...or were they? It appears that not all is how it was, as advertised. Apparently most of the fireworks we saw during the opening festivities were computer generated for TV. One of the most memorable moments was a cute little Chinese girl who sang with a fantastic voice. Unfortunately it wasn't her voice...she was lip syncing. Apparently the girl who really sang wasn't cute enough, the ruling Communist Party decided. The actual girl who sang had bad teeth and was too chunky, and didn't represent China well enough, they say? What a drag for those kids. What a drag for us viewers worldwide. Now I'm as excited as the next guy that China has opened up its country to the world, but come on people, if you want us to like you, admire you or even envy you...then show us who you really are. In an attempt to win the world's approval and admiration, China faked the impression they gave. How sad is that? Unfortunately, these things happen it seems...even on the gymnastic team, 3 of the 6 girls for China were under the qualifying age of 16...at least according to the last 2 years of competition records...but apparently their passports (issued by the Chinese gov't) now say they are all 16 years of age? Wow, I'm so glad they caught those errors "before" these Olympics (insert sarcasm at it's highest here). Isn't it funny to see how the spirit of "competition" enters in and so easily can run amok. It happens in sport, where competition is part of the deal...and all too often cheating creeps in. This "fever" of competition is a symptom of illness... something wrong...something unhealthy. It also happens in church life. How often do churches "fake" the impression they are trying to give visitors? How often do people "fake" who they really are...even Christian people? We call it "mask wearing"...people outside church life call it "hypocrisy". In a culture that cries out for "real deal people", authenticity and the genuine...we all too often offer a facade. As if the fake will con them into liking us, and maybe even joining our church? We actually believe a spotless building, with perfect people performing a perfect program with error-less eloquence...will somehow draw them closer? Just like the Chinese have discovered, their lack of integrity has caused greater suspicion and mistrust...not more friends. Maybe a functional facility that isn't perfect, with regular people humbly doing their best and being able to laugh at their own mistakes...would be more attractive to a world struggling to "measure up" in so many ways. Do we see the disconnect? Apparently not. Too many churches put on "the show"...we'll say we are "friendly"...so we'll have "professional" greeter type people who will smile at you and say good morning...but in reality, won't know your name or remember you 5 minutes after you walk by. Is that "real" friendliness? Is that what people crave? Is that really attracting people? We see it, where only the right looking, pretty, talented, stylish ones are allowed to be seen "upfront"...as if there is no short, average looking, everyday folks, with a few extra pounds allowed. Is that attractive or repulsive? Especially in a church setting? Is that what Jesus would model? The bible says there was nothing attractive about Jesus in His appearance, for instance...many commentaries suggest He may have even been homely...at the very least, He was very average and typical. But His heart, His love and the way He treated people...now that was attractive! All too often we get caught up in the spirit of "competition" and we fake it. Some would say the bible encourages competition, pointing to the many "sports" analogy's within Jesus teachings and the New Testament. Yet the bible never uses any of these sporting images to suggest we are "competing versus each other"...trying to out do each other somehow. When we stoop to that mentality, we inevitably will creep towards faking it...pretending we're better than we really are...the mask goes up very easily. The "sports" imagery of the bible always points to things like "endurance"..."not giving up"... and "perseverance". They remind us that its not who wins...but who finishes the race! It speaks of staying in the battle, and not quitting. Yet as people we often inject "our" sports imagery into these bible passages, assuming sports to God means winning... competing...and being the best (at all costs). In reality this is not the spirit of what Jesus taught...for He knows the spirit of competition is very closely tied to "pride"...which is the root of sin. Pride and the striving for "success" has compromised more than one person...in sports...in church...and in life. Jesus calls out for humility...and urges you and I to endure...keep fighting on...to persevere no matter what...because all who finish are His. It's not a race to see whose first...in fact Jesus said the first will be last. It's a race of humility, authenticity and endurance...things that are attractive and will last. Unfortunately, all too often church life becomes a prideful show of competition, where only the fake survive...and that turns people (& God) off more than anything else. At ECHO we humbly want to cheer people on...help them get up when they want to quit...and carry them across the finish line if we have to...because in the end, all who finish are His...no matter how bruised, tired & exhausted they may be. Join us in this race called life, where no "perfect people" are allowed and where all who finish are winners!

be God's!
Brian O
Lead Pastor dude, ECHO