Friday, September 22, 2006

What Do Tiger Woods & Roger Federer Have In Common?

Tiger Woods attended the recent US Open tennis championship and was spotted in the stands watching Roger Federer play. Did Tiger just happen to be in town, snag a hard-to-come-by ticket and enjoy a little tennis? Hardly. Tiger came just for the purpose of watching and later meeting with Federer. Why?

According to USA Today Tiger was with Federer because champions are attracted to each other. The article is the first in a series that looks at champions in baseball, football, basketball, NASCAR and more. Writer Erik Brady contends that men and women that are champions at such a high level are like “soul mates, magnetically attracted by mutual eminence.”

After the match Tiger and Roger spent significant time together connecting about life and about competition. Brady contends that only a few people on the planet know what it is to be the best of the best.

Before I finished the article I was in agreement with Brady’s premise. Recently I had the opportunity to spend three days at a nationally known training center for Christian missionaries. This center trains thousands of missionaries from all over America. I was privileged to have conversations with several men and women, some of whom were in their 20’s and others in their 60’s and all ages in between. Within minutes of each conversation I felt a tremendous connection.

I’ve been on mission serving God for several years and though I am not engaged internationally there is a lot of common experience with these missionaries so that my heart was constantly stirred as I heard stories about where each was going and what each would be doing. As with Brady I’ll also call it being “soul mates.”

We have chosen to love God and love a group of people with all our heart. We have chosen to sacrifice and pour out our lives to bless, encourage, resource, befriend, counsel, console, grieve, celebrate and in general just walk with people in the name of Christ.

If your mental picture of ministry is narrow-minded, know-it-all, condescending people that you wouldn’t want to hang out with, please think again. I’ve met those kinds of people and I don’t want to hang out with them either. The hundreds of “soul mates” that I know are some of the kindest, most generous, caring and sensitive people you’ll ever meet. Some of these “soulish” kinds of people can probably be found in a church that is near you. This Sunday might be a strategic time for you to check it out.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I could not agree more Scott. I too feel a kinship with fellow believers. I feel stronger just being around them. There are people that I know are believers and that's all I know about them. I love their fellowship and desire their company. Why is that comforting? Is Jesus the magnet or is it our love for Him that attracts us to each other?

Scott Brewer said...

RC:

Great closing question for more reflection.

Blessings on your experience of the Lord's Day this week.