Soldier, Athlete, and Farmer

If I’m being honest, this month is a lot like last month. We’ve still doing a lot of planning, support raising, selecting leaders and having conversations with them, and getting everything squared away for the year. So instead of regaling you with the tales of me trying to fix our drum set to get it ready for the year or the 15th conversation I’ve had with a potential leader, I figured I’d share with you what I’ve been thinking about with God instead.

Our summer staff retreat is next week. We’ll bring together all 60+ pastors from all of our campuses to recenter on God and strengthen our relationships with one another before diving into the school year. This retreat I’m giving a message to our staff based on 2 Timothy 2. It’s an interesting and challenging passage that has had me reflecting for some time, and I wanted to share that with you.

The passage is as follows:

You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. 3 Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. 5 Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. 6 The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. 7 Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.

I would be remiss if I didn’t say you should spend some time doing what Paul says here for yourself. Reflect on this for your life and circumstances, and the Lord will give you insight.

He’s certainly been challenging me from this passage. Paul uses three analogies here, the soldier, the athlete, and the farmer. All invoke a sense of hard work and a level of complete devotion to the craft. You cannot do any of those things without orienting your life around them. You cannot be a part-time soldier, athlete or farmer. At least not if you want to get a harvest, a crown, or please your commanding officer. It evokes a whole lifestyle of devotion to the craft, and a lifestyle of being willing to be immensely uncomfortable as well. They all require someone to live a life that would be deeply uncomfortable for me to live. Soldiers back then would spend weeks marching through terrible circumstances to even get to the battlefront. If an athlete wants to actually win, they have to devote themselves to constantly push their limits and push their body to the edge. A hardworking farmer toils all day under the sun to maybe one day see a crop.

So, what I’ve been reflecting on is this call to join in suffering, to embrace discomfort and hardship. We know we are to model our lives after Jesus, yet would he drive a Nissan, or a Lexus? Or perhaps no car at all, would he be a public transit kind of guy? In the ambiguity of how to live like Jesus in our modern day, it’s easy to default to the easy path. In Paul’s language, to get entangled in civilian affairs, to not compete according to the rules, to not work hard. Step by step, we build our lives around things that make it more comfortable. How we spend our money, our time, who we surround ourselves with. I see it in myself. There’s a temptation to pursue the American dream instead of the radically different Kingdom. Don’t get me wrong, comfort is not bad. But it is a bad master. And we cannot serve two masters. So, the question I have been asking myself throughout my days is this: is comfort driving this decision, or Jesus?

When I look at the life of Jesus, I see a life that would often make me even more uncomfortable than the three professions Paul references. Yet when I think about it, why would I ever want to live a life that Jesus wouldn’t? Why would I want to do it a way He wouldn’t? Shouldn’t I be grateful to suffer alongside my savior who willingly suffered for me? So, if comfort comes, great! But if suffering comes, great! Jesus is Lord, not my comfort.

What that means for my day to day I have to figure out day to day. But it’s been a helpful to keep in mind as I go about my life, and I hope it’s helpful for you too.

Be praying for us as we head into the school year! The students are back in two weeks and we’re going to hit the ground running; it’s such an important time so please be praying every time you think of us!