The Long Game

This week brought fresh stories of not well thought out actions. Activists of some sort protesting something decided the best way to draw attention to their demands and cause was to glue their hands to the road.

As you might imagine this caused all sorts of problems both to those using the road and to the activist. It’s pretty easy to understand the problems and inconvenience of those using the road: do I take an alternate route, hit this yahoo, not go to work today? All caused by someone else.

For the activist however, I have to wonder if they considered the cost of what they were going to do before they did it. Did they think this through all the way. It turns out that gluing yourself to the road doesn’t just limit those who want to use the road, it severely limits you. You’re not going anywhere. Not to the bathroom, not to get a bite to eat or a drink of water, not out of the rain or sun or dark of night. You’re quite literally stuck. And did you consider that at some point, someone is going to insist on helping you get free, and that process will be painful? Very painful? Which is where our story began.

Playing the long game, thinking an action through to its logical conclusion, doesn’t seem to be a strength for many today. There is a belief that one is so important and one’s cause is so righteous that by one’s actions world views and behaviors will be changed. That is rarely the case.

We see this short thinking in Scripture where when things got hard and kinda dicey, many deserted Jesus. There are several places where the Apostle Paul recounts all he has endured as a follower of Jesus, perhaps in warning to those considering his message, that this is not a light hearted romp through a prosperity gospel of plenty and ease. Jesus Himself tells us that we should not expect the world to support us, but in fact to expect persecution and rejection.

We need to play the long game when we choose to follow Jesus. We need to think through and consider what that choice may cost. Only if we are willing to truly follow Him through all that may come should we say “Yes Lord”. Otherwise we will fall away.

I don’t say this to discourage people from following Jesus. On the contrary, I hope and pray they – and you – do! But following Jesus is not all rainbows and butterflies and unicorns. There is a sacrifice and a cost, and one should understand what the commitment is.

Otherwise? You’re just gluing your hand to a road.