A View from the Bench

I've counted down the clock, launching that jump shot toward the basket, followed by the "AAAANK!" sound of the imaginary buzzer as the ball rips through the net of the goal mounted on the garage. I have thrown the winning touchdown pass in the neighborhood football games in the backyard. I've made the game saving catch in the school yard pick-up games. Like most boys, I have loved sports and dreamed of playing in the big leagues one day.

Yet, most of my experience in athletics has been sitting on the bench. I was too small and too slow to play football in high school. My parents were afraid I would get hurt. (They may have saved my life.) So I watched from the stands. In little league baseball, I was a pretty good infielder but my baseball career was shorten because I couldn't hit a curve ball. I spent most of summers dreading games because I would be stuck on the bench. My organized basketball career can be summarized by saying that in the 9th grade, I was the 16th player on a team with only 15 uniforms. Me and another boy shared the same uniform by alternating games. But most of my time was spent on the bench.

It's not fun sitting on the bench. Watching everyone else get to play. Watching families cheer for their sons when they make a good play. On the bench, you try to be a team player, but inside you still feel sad. You want to be in the game...on the field...under lights!

Do you know what can be worse than sitting on the bench? It's the moment that the coach looks your way and He says, "Ellis, go in for____________." In that instant, your opportunity comes, and you are scared to death. The coach gives you some instructions, but you don't hear them because all you're thinking is, "Am I ready for this?" ; "What if I mess up?; "There's a reason I'm on the bench, I'm not any good!" It can be scary to be "in the game." There is a lot of responsibility when you are "on the field." Everyone's watching you when you are "under the lights."

In the real game called Life, there are many who like the safety of "sitting on the bench." I find this is true even among Christians. We convince ourselves that "we are not ready yet" or "not good enough" to be the spouse or parent we know that God wants us to be. We fear that we will fail at trying to live a life of commitment to God "under the lights" in front of our family and co-workers. There's too much pressure to be "on the field" all the time.

You don't have to be scared to come off the bench in the game of Life. The Bible tells us in one powerful encouraging verse:

"I can do everything through Him (Christ) who gives me strength."
(Philippians 4:13)

God has promised that He will equip you to do anything that He is calling you to do. In a relationship with Him, He provides the all that you will need to do His will. Don't just sit there. He's calling your name. Isn't it time to get off the bench, and on the field and into the game?