Kickball and Obedience
The day will live on in infamy in my life. I was in fourth grade and playing kickball at recess. It was my turn to kick, and our team needed to score. The pitch arrived, and I kicked it as far as I could. The ball rose into the air and headed toward the edge of the parking lot where the tetherball poles stood. This was a hopeful kick for our team! Until...the other team caught it. I think I remember who caught the ball, but I will not forget my reaction: I said, "Damn it!" I was frustrated. After all, recess kickball was serious business, and I made sure to take it seriously. However, I knew what I said was wrong, and I said it anyway. Enter sin on the scene of fourth grade recess!
It didn't end there. One of the girls in my class told the teacher about my potty mouth, and I received a punishment of standing against the school wall at the next recess. And of course, the conversation and punishment continued at home when I told my parents what happened and why I was in trouble. Being disobedient was not any fun if it meant that I had to miss kickball at recess and feel shunned by the world by standing against the wall all recess while my friends played all around me. After that lunch recess I decided that I would NOT use foul language or even come close to using it for a long, long time.
The Book of Genesis tells us the story of how sin entered the world: Eve's (and Adam's) disobedience in the Garden of Eden. Just as the serpent tempted Adam and Eve and duped them into thinking that their actions would not have negative consequences ("You certainly will not die!" Genesis 3:4), we also know that the devil tempted Jesus while he was in the desert fasting for 40 days and 40 nights.
Each and every day of our lives, there is going to be temptation and there are going to be times in our days when our obedience to God is tested. When the temptation arises to veer away from virtue or choose not to be obedient, how am I going to respond? Will I give in? Will I allow my frustrations or lack of patience to get the best of me? Or, will I "pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness,” and “compete well for the faith." (1 Timothy 6:11-12)
God provides us with lots of opportunities to choose to do what is right, both on and off the kickball field. May obedience lead us and guide us today and always.