Freedom

“It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery” -Gal. 5:1 I do not know Lo Lo Jones. But I do know she is a world-class track athlete who was an All-American hurdler at LSU and an Olympic runner. I had read she was a Christian and heard that she would be a contestant on Dancing With the Stars. Usually, Jeanie watches the “dancing show” upstairs while I watch Ice Truckers or some other nonsense downstairs. As with any competitor, Lo Lo has had her victories and defeats. But when she was voted off the show the first night, I’d heard she was visibly upset. Bottom line: losing, at anything, is hard. If who I am depends on how I perform, then I’m left to have to earn my significance. But Lo Lo made it right. She posted the comments below on her blog the next day: “My prayer tonight is for God to soften me and my heart. When you go so many times rejected in public you put walls up. When I was dancing last night and messed up I had flashbacks of the three Olympics and that people constantly tease me about. I thought oh no here it comes again. People are going to ridicule me. I'm so tired of feeling embarrassed. I joined the other competitors upstairs and I couldn't force a smile on my face. I felt like vomiting and in between the other dances I went in a back room and fought back tears. I felt so broken. So unlovable. Embarrassed. My brief time on #DWTS was a lasting lesson. I really wanted to stay on the show and have the layers of hurt wash away by showing the public how hard I work. I wanted to come away a victor for once. I wanted to do so good performing in public that the haters would stop teasing me. But that is my way of thinking. Not God’s. Instead I need to trust God that he would heal my heart. That I would not work so hard for the world to validate and redeem me but know that God already conquered that for me on the cross. My time was brief but the lesson is lasting. Thank you everyone who wrote me kind messages. You were helping me not fall into darkness. Love ya guys (see I'm getting softer) My prayer for tonight is Psalm 147:3, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Wow! To me, Lo Lo Jones is more than a winner. Many wear the medals around their necks like a ball and chain. The weight of the pressure to have to succeed can ruin the joy of victory. It is amazing to me that Lo Lo sees herself as a rejected! I bet she has a house full of trophies and medals. But to her, they must not be enough. It’s s bit like the anorexic who sees themselves as overweight when in reality they are dangerously thin. The reality for a Christian is grace: unmerited (unearned) favor from the God of the Universe, period. It’s just hard for us to fathom, but it’s true. When we grasp the reality of His grace without having to earn it and then go to work, we work in freedom and joy. If we win, great and if we lose, that’s okay too. Either way, we’re a winner. That’s what Lo Lo learned and what we all need to grasp as we begin each day. Especially parents, in our sports crazed world, need to teach this freedom to their kids. We need to work, compete, and live in His peace and grace… ...whether we’re still dancing or not. By Eric Joseph Staples © www.lifeaid101.com