Thoughts for Wednesday

“The man who rows the boat seldom has time rock it.” A wise man

After a heated discussion of one of South Africa’s national sporting pastimes, I asked one of the African pastors as a joke whether he was praying for the national soccer team, Bafana Bafana (“The Boys! The Boys!”). He looked at me strangely and said that while the team does need a lot of prayer, he’s too busy to watch their performance in the upcoming tournaments of the African Cup of Nations.

Instead, he said, I am busy fishing for men!

I noticed that the other church leaders who had overheard us, became distinctly uncomfortable. It seemed as if most of them knew the soccer players, their positions, strengths, weaknesses and strategy. In addition, the same pastors did not know the same information about the Christians in their congregation.

Ironically, the small meeting was about the gossip, infighting and dissension between certain churches. And most of the backbiting involved the very same leaders! I guess they were too worried about Bafana Bafana’s imminent soccer match and the loss of national pride should they lose.

And for me, I must be more concerned about God’s will for my hands and heart rather than popular gamesmanship. What about you?

Steve