Underdog
“Do you believe in Miracles? YES!”
- Al Michaels
We love rooting for the underdog, right? Whether it is the 1980 U.S. Hockey team, the kids from Sandlot, or even the Goonies. We love it when against all odds, the unthinkable happens. When the one that no one expected to come through, does.
The bible is replete with these kinds of stories, like the Israelites escaping slavery or David taking on the giant Goliath. And then there is maybe the most likely a tribe of underdogs as the world has ever seen, the disciples. With all the religious elite and rabbinical superstars that were available, Jesus chose the most unlikely of subjects to change the world.
Then he did something even more unlikely than that…
He chose us.
Increasingly, my favorite part of the Jesus story is not the life, death, and resurrection (although what was accomplished in those is truly staggering), but the ascension. That seems like the part of our intended heritage that gets overlooked or translated in some self-serving way. (I don’t hate many things, but I hate prosperity theology.)
To me, the greatest underdog story of all is that He chose me. That he chose you. That he modeled what miracle, healing, and restoration was supposed to look like…so that we could carry on the practice. That the plan to heal, restore, and govern judiciously over this entire world... was us.
What a privilege.
What a responsibility.
How does that idea land with you? Did you sit up straighter, filling your lungs with some deeper air? Do you mutter an “Oh #$%&!” under your breath? Your response to those ideas says a lot about you.
If you are confident as a leader (whether it is in your work, your home, or your broader community)...
If you know your validation and your identity...
If you have found some healing and restoration to your broken places…
If you aren’t operating in fear and overwhelm…
The gifts of the ascension should fire you up.
Greater things you will do that I have done.
I’m leaving my spirit to guide you.
Go and do likewise.
You are my hands and feet.
In the context of eternal life....with the knowledge that you have, are, and will always be loved.... given that everything you have done, are doing, and will do, is forgiven....
The privilege and responsibility of the gifts of the ascension should be pretty invigorating.
Okay, that guy over there and a bunch of other folks you can easily find online, are going to make prosperity all about us or meeting the world’s definition of prosperity.
How sad.
Not just because it is wrong and misguided, but because the prosperity we’ve been granted is far more glorious.
Consider
- Have you ever considered yourself to be an underdog?
- Have you ever thought about why underdog stories seem to be so appealing?
- What would life look like if your predominant operating system was determined fully by the gifts provided by the life, death, resurrection, and the ascension of Jesus?