The Allure of Being Positive: John 14: 15-31

Dear Folks,

A new fad that seems to be sweeping the world, thanks to Internet and GPS, is called geocaching. The game involves teams that get longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates to a hidden 'treasure' and teams race to find these buried troves of riches. Usually the prize is not really of value, but something that one signs one's team's name and then moves on to the next. Or some times new coordinates will be on the prize, inviting the team to go into the adventure some more. It seems to be the never-ending game of discovery.

And all the people have are numbers and a guidance system that helps them find their way.

Even if they never 'finish' the game, they continue to play and discover. We believe that a game must have a conclusion and there must be a clearly defined winner, but what if that robs the game of what it means to play? What if the joy comes in the pleasure of the adventure itself, and there is never a 'conclusion' just a never ending process? I believe that is what makes geocaching so exciting. It is never-ending, and it is like life itself, it is the journey that matters, not the destination.

And like geocaching, life has a guidance system that aids in the expedition: the Holy Spirit.

Geocachers don't fear the unknown, as they often find themselves in sketchy and mysterious environments, but they trust their teammates, they trust the head of the game, and they trust their GPS, so they simply enjoy the ride. But for some reason church folks do not approach life the same way.

We want all the facts now, before we dive into the murky unknown. We defend our hesitation and suggest that we are approaching life realistically, and those persons who seem overly optimistic and idealistic have their heads in the clouds. But why is that? Why do we, and i am guilty of this, why do we accuse optimists of not being realistic, when perhaps, just perhaps, they are truly the realists, but their faith, their hope, their trust, and their being rests in their creator, their sisters and brothers, and the Holy Spirit?

What would happen if all of us, who called ourselves Christian, approached life through the lens of deep faith, deep hope, and deep trust in God? How would we deal with the hurdles in life? Might we see them as part of the journey that adds to the experience instead of road blocks? Trying times build character, if we see them as opportunities to become more faithful in our walks with God.

And God loves to build character, i think.

So the next time a hurdle appears to impede our path, let's look at it as a chance to prove our hope and our faith in Jesus by enjoying the journey over, through, or around the hurdle. And when we look at life through the lens of what is good and whole and not what is lacking or bad, we will do more than enjoy life more ourselves, we will draw in a world wanting and needing what is good. Amen.

Shalom,

jerry