A Note From Tom: September 7th, 2012

Hey, everyone!

Hope you're having an awesome day now that, let's all admit it…IT'S FOOTBALL TIME IN TENNESSEE!! This is, sports fan-wise, one of the coolest seasons of the year! Baseball play-offs are almost here…and the Braves are in a great wild card position!…college football's kicked-off…and now the NFL! It almost reminds me of the verse in Ecclesiastes 3…"There is a season for everything under heaven. A time to punt and a time to bunt! A time for end runs and a time for home runs!  A time to pitch out and a time to pinch hit! A time to…

"That's enough."

Oh. Sorry.

Y'know, the NFL is having a rough start because the regular refs are on strike. They're having to use "sub umps"! I was listening to a radio report on the situation, and some of the calls on the field by the newbie refs were a little…ah…weird.

One ref made this call…"The first…uh… the first down chains were not set prior to the snap, so we shut the play down prior to the snap itself…"

I guess.

In one game, they spotted two footballs on the field on two different yard lines.

Some of the replacements are high school refs. One was even a ref in the Lingerie Football League! When he "throws laundry", I hope it's not anything embarrassing!

We can't blame them tho'! They not used to making judgement calls at that level. I'd hate to try it! In fact, it's really not a good idea to blow your whistle, throw your flag, yellow card anyone, or make judgement calls on…anyone! I love these Scriptures! Check this…

" I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court. I don’t even judge myself. I don’t feel I have done anything wrong. But that doesn’t mean I’m not guilty. The Lord judges me.
So don’t judge anything before the appointed time. Wait until the Lord returns. He will bring to light what is hidden in the dark. He will show the real reasons why people do what they do. At that time each person will receive praise from God!" (1 Corinthians 4:3-5)

I'm so thankful I don't have estimate, evaluate or criticate anyone's contribution to the Kingdom! I'm not good at it. So often, when you don't understand why someone does or says what they do, there is so much you may not know. Struggles they're going through, hurts they carry, pressures they feel. As the Apostle says in 1 Corinthian 13, his amazing chapter on love, "we know in part." It's easy to love a stumbling or troubling person when you remember, "I only know in part. There may be something going on I just don't see."  

I remember once when I was in seminary…

Chuck Swindoll, one of my favorite pastors came to our school to speak to us kids for a week. He told us of a time when he was preaching at a week-long conference. A couple sat on the front row every day, and as soon as Chuck got into his subject, the husband was asleep! Gone! Snoring even! Checked out! Snoozefest! Every time! The brother slept through every talk! After a while, Chuck started to look down and think, "Really, dude? You can't stay awake for one of these?! Why don't you just stay home? Come here and sleep through my message! I mean, dang! It's just rude!"

The last day of the conference, the wife stayed after to speak to Chuck. "Pastor Swindoll, I'd like to apologized for my husband's sleeping during your messages…"

"Wow. How many times has she had to make excuses for that loser?" he thought.

She continued, "But he has a brain tumor and is on really strong medication. He has about a month left to live, his doctors say. He has always loved you, and you were the last pastor he really wanted to hear before he goes home to be with the Lord."

Gulp!

So, when the "subs umps" blow a call this Sunday, let's give 'em slack. I wouldn't want the job of making the calls, blowing the whistle, throwing the flag!

In fact, I don't want it!

I don't know enough!

I only know in part!