The Best Defense...
I've been thinking today about a phrase I used occasionally when I helped to coach middle and Jr. High school basketball a few years ago. "The best offense is a good defense." When I was going through school, I couldn't handle the ball very well, so I learned to play pretty good defense. My logic was that if we can keep the other team from scoring; we won't need to worry about scoring too much to beat them. A couple of good zone defensive strategies; and good understanding of a man-to-man defense; some good conditioning to keep up and the rest will take care of itself. No need for a lengthy playbook with all those different plays intended to dazzle the opponents and run up the score.
Well; shame on me. First of all; that a misquote. You can google it. Several people are credited with the phrase, including prize fighter Jack Dempsey. But it really goes like this: "The best defense is a good offense." Go ahead and re-read that. The difference is simple, but profound.
Secondly; think about the logic of it all. Regardless of whether you are in a ring, or on a court, or on the gridiron, if the opponent is on the defensive the whole time, you will eventually wear them down and win. If you keep the other team on their end of the field, they won't be able to score against you. You don't win by protecting yourself; you win by making advances against your opponent. There is a difference in attitude between playing to win and playing not to lose.
When I think about that in relationship to life as a believer and life in the church, the ramifications are significant. What is our tendency? We want to protect ourselves. We come to church to "get away from the world." We go to "retreats" to be renewed from standing against the onslaughts of evil around us. I realize that there is biblical precedence for this position. The armor of God discussion in Ephesians 6 includes the challenge to "stand firm." But have you noticed that all of the pieces of "armor" listed there are offensive in nature with the exception of the shield of faith? Everything is designed to be most effective when you are facing the enemy and moving ahead.
Besides, who is listed as having the gates? Jesus told Peter (Matthew 16:18) that Hell has the gates. Gates are defensive. That they "won't prevail" simply means that they won't be able to withstand the attack. So who is on the offensive?
Have we gotten so used to being on the defensive that we are no longer anxious to take enemy territory for Christ? Have we grown content with enduring until we get to Heaven? Mark Batterson reminds us that "there is nothing remotely passive about following Christ. Some of us act like faithfulness is making no turnovers when faithfulness is scoring touchdowns. Faithfulness has nothing to do with maintaining the status quo or holding the fort. It has everything to do with competing for the Kingdom and storming the gates of Hell." ("In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day")
I've got goose bumps just thinking about it. Sign me up.
Well; shame on me. First of all; that a misquote. You can google it. Several people are credited with the phrase, including prize fighter Jack Dempsey. But it really goes like this: "The best defense is a good offense." Go ahead and re-read that. The difference is simple, but profound.
Secondly; think about the logic of it all. Regardless of whether you are in a ring, or on a court, or on the gridiron, if the opponent is on the defensive the whole time, you will eventually wear them down and win. If you keep the other team on their end of the field, they won't be able to score against you. You don't win by protecting yourself; you win by making advances against your opponent. There is a difference in attitude between playing to win and playing not to lose.
When I think about that in relationship to life as a believer and life in the church, the ramifications are significant. What is our tendency? We want to protect ourselves. We come to church to "get away from the world." We go to "retreats" to be renewed from standing against the onslaughts of evil around us. I realize that there is biblical precedence for this position. The armor of God discussion in Ephesians 6 includes the challenge to "stand firm." But have you noticed that all of the pieces of "armor" listed there are offensive in nature with the exception of the shield of faith? Everything is designed to be most effective when you are facing the enemy and moving ahead.
Besides, who is listed as having the gates? Jesus told Peter (Matthew 16:18) that Hell has the gates. Gates are defensive. That they "won't prevail" simply means that they won't be able to withstand the attack. So who is on the offensive?
Have we gotten so used to being on the defensive that we are no longer anxious to take enemy territory for Christ? Have we grown content with enduring until we get to Heaven? Mark Batterson reminds us that "there is nothing remotely passive about following Christ. Some of us act like faithfulness is making no turnovers when faithfulness is scoring touchdowns. Faithfulness has nothing to do with maintaining the status quo or holding the fort. It has everything to do with competing for the Kingdom and storming the gates of Hell." ("In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day")
I've got goose bumps just thinking about it. Sign me up.
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