Sometimes the worst brings out the best in us

When the Vancouver Canucks failed to win the Stanley Cup on June 15, all hell broke loose on Georgia street. The City had installed a huge screen there for thousands of people to watch the game; all hoping for a glorious win. But when it became clear we'd lose, a lot of young people decided to riot. They burned up cars, smashed windows and plundered some local stores--without restraint. Images of lawlessness, violence, stupidity and greed were broadcasted on TV for the world to see. A freak show revealing humanity's ugly side. And it shamefully originated in a world-class city with citizens who are wealthy and free. The riot showed that fallen humanity--even in a great place like Vancouver--is ugly.

After the nightmare of June 15th, I woke up to another side of Vancouver. By 7am the next morning, an army of volunteers had already shown up, armed with gloves and bags to help the government workers clean up the mess created by the riot. On the Post-Riot-Vancouver-Clean-Up Facebook page, over 16,000 people signed up to help restore our beloved city over the next three days (which, with so much help only took a morning!) Many beautiful citizens here rolled up their sleeves to make our city spotless. I love Vancouver more today because of them. 

So, June 15th saw the worst of us, but June 16th brought out the best in us. This makes me wonder...in the grand scheme of God's salvation plan, is he patient with the worst in us in order to bring out the best in us?

Pouting doesn't make us winners

The Stanley Cup fever has us Vancouverites talking hockey with everyone and anyone right now. One topic that comes up  a lot  in conversation is how the Canucks have been getting the short end from the referees game after game during this final series with the Boston Bruins. The uneven calls have been so obvious that they've gotten some fans' blood boiling--"How can this be a professional league?!", they ask.

We have the notion that everything must be fair and square all the time. But complete fairness is very rare; life isn't fair. Fighting through partiality is part of the maturing process. The best teams in any sport don't just possess skill and physical prowess--these are only basic competitive requirements. What sets winners apart is their mental tenacity to plough through obstacles of all forms including, at times, overcoming unfairness. 

We don't have to be athletes to feel the stain of unfairness; ordinary life is full of situational injustices. We ask, "why is this so?" Perhaps God is making us into winners, training us to overcome adversity by permitting these unfair circumstances in our lives. The greatest winner in history also suffered the most severe injustice. He was subjected to enormous unfairness. Try thinking about him the next time you think you've been dealt an uneven hand.  As he was hanging in pain for totally ludicrous charges, Jesus overcame, maintaining his spotless character even as he breathed his last breath--this is what a true winner looks like. (Luke 23:34)

Don't be a closet fan

It's hard to imagine it now, but there was a time when wearing a Canuck jersey was not so cool. Years ago, when the team was struggling game after game, they were the butt of a lot of jokes. Back then, you had  to be a die-hard fan to brave the ridicule of nay-sayers and admit you believed in the team by openly sporting their colours. Most tended to be closet Canucks fans back then. Not so today; the Canucks just need one more game to win the Stanley Cup! Now the tide has turned. On game day, you feel out of place if you're in downtown Vancouver without a Canuck's jersey or T-shirt.

A lot of us Christians are like the closet Canuck fans during the team's tentative years. We are very comfortable living in the closet until some star player makes a big splash that makes us look like we're on the winning side. The problem is, Christians aren't called to be fair weather fans; we're not called to be fans at all. We are all players called to win the prize. What is the prize for us? To know God and enjoy him forever. All kinds of distractions and trappings take our eyes off that prize. And like an NHL hockey player we need focus to win something far more precious to us than Lord Stanley's Cup in this game of life. (Philippians 3:13-14)

Lesson from my basil plants

Earlier this spring, I potted a dozen basil plants and put them by the wall of windows in our living room. It's the brightest spot we have and on sunny days, it's warm like a hothouse even when the temperature is low outside. On my part, the plants only require watering once a day--not at all high-maintenance by any stretch. To my delight, the plants are thriving; they have grown tall and strong from just little seeds! Ironically it is well known that basil plants are not that easy to grow, they require a lot of sunlight.

Everyday without fail each and every plant seeks out the direction of the sun, stretching it's leaves and stems towards the window to maximize exposure to sunlight. If I didn't rotate them regularly, they would have grown lopsided because of their natural and constant bend towards the sun for its sustenance.

I wish I was like these plants--smart enough to seek out the Son everyday for my spiritual sustenance. Didn't Jesus say that he was the bread of life? (John 6:35) And didn't he say that "man shall not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4)? Christians wither and droop when we forget Jesus and his words as all this world's offerings fall short of providing sustenance towards our growth and maturity in life.

One game at a time

The Canucks' playoff run this year has made a hockey fan of every Vancouverite. With a winning team representing our city, it has become very cool to wear the Canucks jersey. On game days blue tops bearing the team logo dominate the visual landscape everywhere we go. And when night comes we're all fixated on the team's performance, riding the emotional roller coaster of wins and losses.

What seems amazing is that the players themselves don't display the same emotional highs and lows that the fans do. Watch them answer the barrage of questions from reporters after every game--they are always calm and cool. Whether it had been a disastrous loss or a well-fought win, the players neither gloat nor get deflated according to the results. They maintain their poise, focusing on 'one game at a time' to resist the spillover effect of a win or loss onto the next game, working to preserve a fresh start for each game no matter how well or how bad the last game went down. 

There is much wisdom in keeping such short accounts. As in sport, so too in life, neither pride nor dejection from a past victory or failure should affect new opportunities. His mercy is new every morning. Great is his faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23) 

Good parents give good gifts

Imagine that your six year old child comes to you and asks for firecrackers for their birthday; would you grant their request? Of course not--firecrackers for a six year old?! But what if they asked for a story book instead, wouldn't you go to great effort to find the best book to give? A loving parent is ecstatic when their child asks for good gifts, and goes far to fulfill such wishes. But when our children want things that are potentially harmful we don't hesitate to disappoint them--for their own good.

This is how God operates too when we pray for things. There is no shame in our asking; asking indicates we trust both God's ability and desire to fulfill our wishes--that we realize we are in a loving relationship.  But when we don't get what we ask for, be careful not to conclude that He is withholding good from us. Maybe He has better things for us than what we can conceive in our mind or maybe He is waiting for us to grow up a bit.

Keep asking and keep seeking God for all things. Like a great parent, He will grant us gifts and our hearts' desire in accordance with our maturity. (Matthew 7:9-11, Psalm 37:3-5)