Yesterday evening my school’s FCA organized an event on our football field called “Fields of Faith.” It is an event that is used by high school FCA organizations to bring students to the sports field to celebrate and raise up the name of Jesus. In today’s world where God has been forced out of the public arena, this is pretty revolutionary.
In the lives of many Americans, sports have been elevated above God—they have become a god, or even replaced God. Through Fields of Faith, students are reminded that God can be honored through sports, but He is more than sports. We were encouraged to use the talents and gifts we are given by God to support our teams and teammates. But, above all, we were reminded that the true purpose for everything we do is to bring glory to God, the Father.
Three brave young people presented their testimonies to the expectant crowd gathered in the home stands. The first student was a young lady whose words brought to bear a thought I myself have heard others in my church speak. Her testimony began with her fear that she had no real testimony at all. That her experiences weren’t big enough and her obstacles not profound enough to grant her a true testimony as to the grace and hope of Jesus Christ.
This young woman, a junior, shared what she learned through experiences at camp and on a mission trip. She said that a person doesn’t have to have huge struggles to know and show that God is working in his or her life. Most of our daily struggles are small: what clothes to wear, when and how to study or do homework or finish that project at work, what to cook or eat. All day-to-day, humdrum decisions, but they can cause us to either bring glory to God by honoring his commands or bring dishonor and lead us away from His path.
Take clothing, for example. This may seem like a simple thing, but what we choose to wear contributes to what others see, think and feel as we walk by or interact with them. Clothes that are immodest, or draw attention to things best left unattended, do not create a situation that enables us to share God’s love with others.
Attitude is another point the student made. Even if we are in the midst of mission work, where we are wholly focused (or should be) on serving others, a bad attitude can remove the glory from even the most humbling work. Having and maintaining a joyful attitude, regardless of the personal struggle, shows that the Holy Spirit is alive in us. We don’t have to like the job, but we should not grumble and whine as we do it. Joy and happiness are not equivalent. We are called to joy in all things, but nowhere does it say that we will always be happy in our joy.
So, take courage in the small things. Rejoice if you were raised in the church and have had no major detours on God’s road. You have a story to tell of His faithfulness and grace. Rejoice if you were raised in the church, but have journeyed off the path for a time. Use your experiences as a signpost for other lost ones who are on your same journey. Lead them back to the road. Rejoice if you were not raised in the church, but found a signpost pointing you to the road. Set up your own arrows, to guide those who will come after you.
We all must remember that he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. Ephesians 1:4. Regardless of the path we follow, we were chosen and we have a purpose. Just as the young lady discovered, we all have a testimony, and each is as important and as amazing as any other, because they all reflect the reckless love, infinite mercy, and limitless grace of the Lord of Lords, our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Rebecca Reed, Author 