Trophies

”For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?” 1 Thessalonians 2:19

Andy Murray ended the Wimbledon drought for the Men’s Championship. From Dunblane, Scotland, Murray is the first Brit to win the coveted title in 77 years. It was a long three set battle with all the ups and downs one would want to see in an Open Championship. Lasting over three hours, extremely long for a three-set match, Murray seemed to have it won when, in the final game of the third set, he was ahead 40-0 on his own serve. One more smashing point and he would hold the coveted trophy high.

Instead, his opponent Djokovic answered back with three break-points, forcing the final game to deuce. Djokovic was within one point of taking the game three agonizing times. But, equaling the set at deuce each of the three times, Murray finally sent his last serve crashing into the opposite court with his opponent answering with a return that flew out of the court. In that moment of victory Murray dropped his racket and fell to his knees on Centre Court. There is no doubt he will never forget today’s victory and rush of emotion. He was quick to give credit to his coach, the great Ivan Lendl, who, interestingly, never won Wimbledon himself.

Only a sparse few experience the height of winning something like Wimbledon. There are only so many green jackets for the golfer who tackles and wins the Masters. There is only one team each year who takes home the Lombardi trophy from the Super Bowl. Of all the films each year, only two lead actors receive a Grammy; only one play wins a Tony and one song of the year receives a Grammy.

The apostle Paul wrote to a group of brand new followers of Jesus. He was the one who shared the good news about Jesus with them for the very first time. As he told them that God loved them and had accepted them into His family of faith, forgiving the world of its sins, they responded. He spoke to them about the crucifixion of Jesus and His resurrection from the dead, pointing to Him as the Savior of all. Upon hearing, the responded eagerly.

This small band of new believers began to meet together and be transformed by their new-found faith. Experiencing the love and acceptance God offered, they began loving others just as deeply. They expressed their faith by telling others about what Chris had done. Their joy rooted in their adoption in this new family through Christ.

And Paul could think of no better prize than these working-class people who now were his family as well. Quite a change for a former Pharisee who viewed Gentiles as completely outside the realm of God’s concern. Only Jews were chosen; a good Jew would not even enter the doorway of a Gentile (anyone not a Jew by birth.) Now his heart is moved at the very thought of these dear people; ones he once thought separated from God, now brought near by Jesus’ sacrifice.

Paul understood all too clearly that this meant he and these new Gentile believers had also been “brought near” to each other. There was now no more difference, no “in”, no “out”. There was only family. Paul takes the extra step of not only accepting the concept, but embracing the very people he once would have rejected out of hand.

I wonder what group I might be tempted to exclude. And, what does this have to do with Wimbledon and a Brit finally winning again after three-quarters of a century? Perhaps this: Paul not only accepted this new converts, he was more excited about them than Mr. Murray was about Wimbledon today. Paul would have raised the trophy of God’s new family high, and with a greater roar than all the Englishmen Wimbledon could hold, the angels of heaven would rejoice, dance and celebrate the thrill of people united because of Christ.

I hope, the closer I walk with Jesus, the more I accept people outside my comfort zone. But, even more so, I hope that my treasures will always be the relationships Jesus has given me, not with those from the same social strata in my home church, but with those whose world is light-years from my own experience. I can tell I’ve been changed when I am thrilled at new family members who act and look nothing like my own experience.