Fumbling…on Saturday and Sunday
For as long as I can remember caring anything about college basketball, I have been a Kentucky Wildcat fan. Until fairly recently, I have not followed UK’s football team very closely. To be honest, there really hasn’t been that much to watch.
However, over the last few years, the football Wildcats have shown signs that they are improving. As I’ve told some of my friends, we are finally learning to play with that pointed ball in the Bluegrass State.
As I type these words, the UK football fans are celebrating a victory. Although the season is very young, the team is undefeated (after only two games).
However, as happy as the football fans are about the victory, there were also a couple of developments during the game that are causes for concern. One of those developments will affect the team for the rest of the year. During the game, the starting quarterback sustained a season-ending injury. The “backup” is no longer the backup. He now has become “the man.”
The other development that apparently has caused some concern is that, after one promising offensive drive, the football was fumbled away on the opposing team’s one-yard line. Again, I didn’t watch the game, but I’m sure that this development was frustrating and disappointing to the players, the coaches, and the fans at the time. It would be difficult in any area of life to put in a great amount of effort and miss the goal by such a small distance.
Since I did not see the game, obviously I did not see the play that resulted in “fumbling on the one.” I’ve only heard and read about it.
Unfortunately, over the years, I have seen far too many instances of “fumbling for the one” on Sundays. You’ve probably seen it as well. Hopefully, you’ve not been the one doing it.
Fumbling for the one doesn’t happen in an athletic arena. It happens where people assemble to worship. The scenario usually goes something like this:
- A song may be led during which those who sing profess loyalty to Jesus.
- A scripture may be read that stresses the importance of giving of our means liberally.
- There may be some comments that are intended to remind us of the opportunity and duty we have to financially support the Lord’s work.
- A prayer is usually offered. Often, during that prayer, there is some acknowledgment of the wonderful gift of salvation.
- During the comments and/or during the prayer, some mention is made about how our decisions about giving are a reflection of our devotion to the Lord.
- Some plates, baskets, or some sort of containers are passed from row to row and from seat to seat in order to facilitate the giving.
It is at this point in the worship that “the fumbling for the one” begins. Wallets are quickly removed from pockets and purses are hurriedly opened. People are frantically looking for that elusive one dollar bill so they can give “…as God hath prospered…” (1 Cor. 16:2).
Sometimes the fumbling is successful. Sometimes, it is not.
Often, when the fumbling is unsuccessful, a person who professes undying loyalty to Jesus will reluctantly put a bill of greater value in the plate. At other times, the ‘worshiper” cannot convince himself/herself to put as much in the plate as the cost of the hamburger he/she plans to eat after church. The “solution” in those cases may be to determine to “make it up next week” (if that decision is not forgotten and if the person happens to be in town).
Whatever the outcome of the “fumbling for the one” happens to be, some who regularly participate in that activity will drive away from the church building in their $30,000 vehicle with the quiet confidence that they have, once again worshiped “…in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).
It is tempting to end these thoughts with passages that are regularly used to remind us of the duty we have to give willingly and sacrificially. Instead, I thought I’d finish with something that I pray will challenge all of us; especially those of us who do not believe we can afford to give any more than we normally do.
Please consider the words of the Lord as recorded in Luke 6:38:
Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
Wouldn’t it be a shame to learn at the judgment that we fumbled on the one because we fumbled for the one?
To Receive Every Article from A Legacy of Faith through Email for Free, Click Here
AUTHOR: Jim Faughn
