Thoughts on life's experiences and God's nature by Robby Hyche…

Driscoll is reaching a lot of young folks in a city where Christianity has struggled.  What do you think of his methods?

http://tinyurl.com/6tof5y

This is a short article written for http://www.fbctmen.org

In the movie, Spy Game, Nathan Muir, played by Robert Redford, sets up a sting operation to catch a rogue agent suspected of funneling information to the former East Germany. Brad Pitt’s character, Tom Bishop, was unknowingly involved because Nathan needed a regular agent involved so that the operation looked legit. It worked, but in the process, a man died. If you’ve seen the movie you know that Bishop was furious: “You don’t just trade these people like they’re baseball cards! It’s not a … game!” Muir doesn’t flinch in giving his response.  “Oh, yes it is. That’s exactly what it is. And it’s no kid’s game either. This is a whole other game. And it’s serious and it’s dangerous. And it’s not one you want to lose.”

Risk drives us. I see it in my son, and I see it other men. Like a lot of guys, taking on dangerous projects fires me up. I don’t know if it’s the danger, the challenge, or the upside potential, but men love to take on risky ventures.  You know this about yourself. Yeah, some guys seem more laid back, calculated, or hesitant, but deep inside we want a tough job and we want to come out on top.

Single men may play the most dangerous game every day. You wake up alone and step out the door to face an uncertain world, do your thing, and return alone. There’s no one to check up on you; no phoning into mom, no safety net.

Unlike some guys, I enjoyed being single. I even liked living alone for a while.  I traveled alone a lot too. For a while I didn’t have a cell phone and I had to cover several states by car alone. I didn’t think about it then but many of us wouldn’t go anywhere without a phone. Somehow, that job gave me a great sense of pride because when I went out on the road it felt a little uncertain and exposed. I liked overcoming obstacles and returning with a feeling of “mission accomplished.”

But I began to realize that this was no game. I could not overcome every obstacle alone. I needed a team with someone watching my back. Some of you know this already but I had to learn it the hard way.

Bishop didn’t like Muir’s methods, but Muir wanted to guard him. That’s why they had to get the rogue agent out of the way.

Who’s watching your back?

I want you live the adventure you were meant to live. You need to experience every great thing God has for you. Just realize that this is no kid’s game. It is dangerous and requires serious preparation.

A couple of times I stepped out and did the thing I wanted to do and it was great. But with every great step there came great risk. There was a potential loss of money, life, and fidelity.

Realize that the game you play every day in your life requires constant attention and preparation.

Bishop had to learn that there was more to the game than his little world of involvement. Many agents had died or would have died due to the rogue agent. The bigger picture had to be taken into account. In one sense, Bishop’s life and job didn’t matter as much as the greater good of rescuing East Germans and giving them freedom.

Do you see the bigger picture?

Paul the Apostle lived an amazing life. He traveled the known world at the time preaching the gospel and starting churches. That may sound ridiculous to you, but just remember that Paul lived during the reign of Nero, who used the bodies of Christians as tiki torches for his garden. Church-planting was a dangerous adventure and it was a game Paul did not want to lose. Lives depended upon it.

What people depend upon you?

You should probably read 1 Corinthians 9 sometime. It’s kind of inspiring.  Paul does what he does for the sake of the Gospel – to lead people to Jesus and rescue them from hell and sin. Paul limited himself and became “all things to all men” to win “some” to the gospel. The world changed because Paul launched into a highly speculative and complicated enterprise.

In 1 Corinthians 9:23-27, he gives us a key to his success:

²³ I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.  ²⁴ Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. ²⁵ Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.  ²⁶ Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.  ²⁷ No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

The bigger prize for Muir and Bishop was to catch a rogue agent, give people freedom, and protect democratic principles. For a while Paul sailed around the world, then he became a pastor, then he became a prisoner. But wherever Paul found himself, he lived to communicate the gospel to every individual who would listen.

What’s your op doing?