As I write this, I hold my head in a bit of shame. I just finished leading a mini-retreat with 35 different 7th graders…and to finish the night we played dodge ball.
I passively played the first two games – and my team got whooped. We were grossly outmatched as our opponents had more than 2 kids who had hit puberty on their team. So, the next two games I kicked it into high gear and helped lead my team to victory. They were ecstatic (and so was I). Finally…we found ourselves at the deciding game 5 – but let me help paint the picture a bit more.
The whole night there was this kid who pecked and pecked at my nerves. He was cocky – disrespectful at times – and really got under my skin. Sure enough he was on the other team…and for the first 4 games was exuding arrogance to my team and me. Additionally, he cheated multiple times by never going out (even as I type this I realize how ridiculous I sound being so competitive with a 12 year old).
So now game 5, the deciding game, is underway. I’ll be honest…I whoop it up this game. Kid by kid I manage to pick off almost their entire team (unbenounced to me my team was getting picked off, too). Alas, we’re down to 2 people. It’s my arch nemesis (who is about 200 pounds lighter than me) vs. yours truly. He stands at the very back wall clutching a dodge ball tightly in his defense to block every throw I can muster up. This goes on for 20 minutes. Every miss or blocked shot is followed by a cocky comment from the little guy.
I finally come to the center line and beg for him to throw at me (he hasn’t in this whole 20 minute time period – it was just me throwing at him). He was so afraid of me catching his throw…so he doesn’t throw. I start trash-talking and run my mouth like he has been. I had become what I so greatly despised. And we finally declare it a draw. I wouldn’t let him win.
I was so embarrassed on my drive home for who I had become in that moment. I should’ve let him win. Even though he was an arrogant kid who got under my skin…I should’ve let him win. But I didn’t. I wouldn’t let him. I’m a grown man who knows better and I should’ve let him ‘win.’
The ironic thing is that 90 minutes before that dodge ball game, I spoke to that group of 7th graders of how we can be more like Jesus. We talked about how Jesus lived and how we need to try and live more like that. And sure enough I forget the sermon that I preached. I talked the talk but sure didn’t walk the walk.
Thank God for grace. The Jesus I believe in would’ve let that kid win. The Jesus I believe in would’ve played a fun game of dodge ball and he wouldn’t care who won in the end.
And thank God for grace. Thank goodness Jesus loves me still…even though I’m a hypocrite who preaches about grace and then doesn’t live it out. I sure don’t deserve his grace just like that kid didn’t deserve to win at dodge ball (and as I type this I realize how I sure didn’t deserve to win either).
And none of us deserve what we’re given. The grace of Jesus Christ is the richest and best gift we have ever received – and not one of us deserve it. Not that little 7th grader – certainly not me – and not you, either. None of us deserve grace.
The love of Christ pours down upon us – and it is by grace through our faith that we’re saved. And it isn’t by our own doing – it is a gift from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Thanks be to God!
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Erik Hatch is a Youth Director at First Lutheran Church in Fargo, ND. Hatch is a graduate of North Dakota State University and sells real estate in his spare time for the Jim Lund Team, Keller Williams. Hatch also is founder and director of Homeless & Hungry. To contact Hatch, email him at ehatch@flcfargo.org.
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