Two in a Row!

You know it's been a rough year for the Red Sox when you get excited because they've won two in a row. They beat the Texas Rangers last night 9-2, and for a moment they looked like the Red Sox of the past several years. And they did it without David Ortiz! (Although the sooner he gets back, the better.) I think, however, the Red Sox season has been a metaphor for this year for me  personally, anyway. We've lost several loved ones, but have had some new additions to the family as well. The Christian comedian Mark Lowry had a great illustration once for the Christian life. He said, "If you want a boring life, don't become a Christian." He then went on to demonstrate how Christ came to give life abundantly, and then made a small waving motion with his arm for life, and when he to the abundant part, made a big waving motion with his arm. I though that illustrated the Christian life as well as anything else I'd seen. People think their troubles will end when Christ saves them, but they've missed the point. One doesn't become a Christian to escape trouble, one becomes a Christian to have a relationship with God and to spend eternity with Him. So I wonder if many people go in not knowing what they don't know. Christ even told his followers to be sure and count the cost before following him. Otherwise they might run out of money and then how people would laugh. (I can't remember where this is). I think of the retired pitcher Curt Schilling, who is facing bankruptcy after pouring much of his $50 million fortune earned playing baseball into a failed video game business. He didn't know what he didn't know, and didn't bother to learn how to run a business before he jumped in. So be sure to count the cost before following Christ!