Spiritual Training Cycle: Connection (wk. 3/13)
The offer shouldn’t have been extended Shortly after getting married, my wife and I moved to Portland where I attended graduate school. Rex was one of my classmates. In addition to struggling through our studies together, Rex and I played some pick-up sports that first year. Toward the end of the school year, Rex asked me if I would be interested in coaching at a local inner-city school in the fall.
At that time, Franklin High was a run-down school with declining enrollment, high drop-out rates, and a host of other problems. The school was challenged to keep teachers at the end of the day for coaching. To address this problem, the district set aside funds for outside coaches – Rex had been an assistant for a year or two, and they were looking for another coach. That fall I joined the coaching staff as the Franklin Quakers’ JV offensive coordinator.
Unqualified The true conundrum about my coaching position? I never played organized football. Not youth football. Not high-school football. Definitely not college football. While I played sports when I was growing up, they were always rec-league games, and I was typically one of the last picks for a football game or the 6th man on the basketball team. I was never a great athlete. If Franklin was looking for someone to elevate their program, this coaching position was a gift I definitely didn’t deserve.
Indeed, the first year I coached at Franklin, I basically just managed to stay a day ahead of the athletes. I learned on Monday how to lead the drills we were doing on Tuesday, etc. And we remained a bad team. We finished my first year with 2 wins and 7 losses: a typical year for Franklin. (We were the team other schools invited to homecoming - we were an easy win for them!)
Making the most of it But we got better. My second year I moved up from JV to varsity. I worked hard to make the most of it, and worked with some exceptional new coaches who were committed to doing their best. Fast-forward three years to my final year coaching: Franklin went 7-2 and made the state playoffs – we turned the program around! And it changed forever my view of myself: this gift of an undeserved coaching position impacted how I viewed myself as a leader and as an athlete.
By Grace through Faith In his letter to followers of Jesus in the city of Ephesus, Paul reminded them of the free gift they were given by God. Salvation – being made right with God – is never earned by our good works.
“But God, being rich in mercy because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved.” “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God.” — Ephesians 2:4,5,8
Our works follow God’s work In the same way I was unqualified to coach, none of us are qualified for God’s grace. This misunderstanding about earning God’s grace vs. simply receiving it has confused many well-meaning people for thousands of years. Paul makes it very clear: our works don’t earn us God’s salvation – He offers it to us as a gift.
Any good I accomplished at Franklin was in response to the opportunity I’d been given. In the same way, followers of Jesus need to understand; their relationship to God is based on His gift, not their efforts. Any work they accomplish on God’s behalf is in grateful response to the gift He gave them.
Questions for Reflection:
When have you received a gift that you totally didn’t deserve? How did that make you feel? How did you respond?
Where are you regarding God’s gift of salvation: his no-strings-attached offer to make things right between the two of you through the death and resurrection of Jesus?
In light of all the good things God has given you, how can you give back to Him as a “thank you” for His grace?