Chasing and Being Chased

"Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm."
-Proverbs 13:20

I've often talked about how important it is to have training partners- those who will labor with you toward a mutual end goal; those who will push you; those who you can push. Most of the time a training partner is someone who is about your same skill level. Sure, you may be a bit better at them in some areas, and they might be better than you in others, but by and large y'all are on the same playing field. These folks are your peers, and they push you and hold you accountable to be better.

Just as important though is having people in your training that you can chase, and that can chase you. Not people who are just a little bit better/worse than you, but significantly better/worse. I got to train for a time with a National Champion, and just being around him made me see things that I never would have seen with people on my own level. The way he moved; his work ethic; his attention to detail- all things that became invaluable to my training. I also have been fortunate enough to train with people who were significantly behind me. I was able to show them things that they would have never seen if they only trained with people on their level. This was good for them, but good for me too: it reminded me of fundamentals, showed me how far I have come, and kept me hungry to stay ahead (for often times these newbies make great strides, and in time start to push me!)

In our pursuit of Christ, we need this same dynamic- the "weaker brother" (1 Cor 8, Romans 14), our peers, and those we are striving to be like as they are like Jesus (1 Cor 11:1).  As proverbs 13 indicates, we become like those we spend the most time with, so it is important that we spend time with folks who are further along who make us want to be more like Jesus, and that we spend time around those who aren't as far along since we make them want to be more like Jesus.

We need those who are not as far along in our faith for many reasons. They remind us that in the end, only Jesus makes us clean- not our own good works or striving. They put on display a childlike faith, willing and ready to take Jesus at his word simply because of who He is. They show us the joy that is to be had when we mature and grow into the likeness of Christ. They hold us accountable to knowing scripture, for inevitably they will ask questions that we must answer.

Likewise, we need those who are further ahead of us. We need others that model Christ well to show us the way. They remind us that with the help of the Spirit, we too can one day be transformed into the image of Christ (2 Cor 3:18). They show us what it looks like to love our wives like Christ love the Church. They teach us how to exhibit patience in frustrating situations. They exhort us to pray, and to hold all things before the Lord.

The body of Christ is just that- a body. It is many different parts that all make up a whole, the sum of which is greater than just the parts themselves. It is the old teaching the young, the strong bearing with the week, all under the banner of Christ. As a great theologian once said, "nobody leans against the Cross and says 'all you sinners come bow down', but rather we kneel before the cross and invite others to kneel with us."

Going Through the Motions

The grind can be real sometimes. Wake up, slam breakfast, gym, shower, speed to work, answer a million emails, slam lunch, answer a million more emails, try to beat traffic home, cook dinner, cook tomorrows lunch, go to bed tired as a dog, wake up and do it all again. It's easy to feel like a hamster on a wheel, running as fast as you can but not really going anywhere at all. The repetitive monotony of it all can wear you down- before you know it, you are a robot simply going through the motions, but your heart really isn't in it. I have found that oftentimes, this detachment of my heart bleeds into areas of my life that I care about most.

One of these areas for me is the gym. I have no problem showing up to the gym, but if I'm honest sometimes I don't give it my all when I am there. They say showing up is half the battle, and the implied assumption is that once you show up the other half of the battle takes care of itself. Unfortunately, this is just not true. I can't tell you how many times I have got to the gym, got halfway through something and then just kind of went "eh..  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  " and not tried as hard through the rest. My body is there, but my heart and my mind are far from it. When this happens, not only am I not getting any better, but there is no joy in it.

How true it is that my life in the gym often reflects my life outside of the gym. I see this in my marriage: I come home, and we say "how was your day?" to which the other person replies "good!" sometimes followed by a brief description (which the other person has already tuned out). Our mouths are asking the questions, but our hearts aren't listening. I see this with my friends: we all show up somewhere to hang out or watch the game, and next thing you know everyone is looking at their phones, texting or on Facebook/Instagram. We are warm bodies in a room, but nobody is engaged. Even worse, if I'm not careful I will start to see it in my spiritual life.

If we are honest, we all find ourselves going through the motions at times. Go to church. Serve. Read your bible. Pray. Repeat. But is our heart really in it? Sometimes, for sure. When we walk in step with the Spirit, he makes us acutely aware of the glory and splendor of our King, and there is a natural outpouring of the Spirit; that is to say the Spirit bears fruit in our lives (Galatians 5:22-23). If we aren't constantly pressing into Jesus though, it becomes possible (or even probable) that we will begin cranking this stuff out of the flesh, doing things on our own strength. It can be hard to identify your inner motivations, but the Lord always weighs the heart (Proverbs 21:2). A quick litmus test would be your response to situations.

When someone aggravates you, your inward response is usually one of three things:
1) You aggravate me, and I'm going to let you know it
2) You aggravate me, but I'm a Christian and I'm not supposed to show it so I'll show you grace
3) You aggravate me, but how many times have I done far more grievous things to Jesus? And if he can still look past that and give himself for me, then I can look past your faults and give myself for you by showing you grace.

The first scenario is clearly someone acting out of the flesh. The second is more deceptive- on the outside, it appears that you are walking with the Spirit (and indeed you may be, for sometimes we must simply obey when we do not want to, which takes strength only Jesus can provide) and they show grace. Too often, my spiritual capacity stops here though. I do things "because I'm supposed to" and simply stop at that. In my heart of hearts, I want more though- I want to be the third guy. I want to not have to think about it, but for the natural rhythm of my heart to be to extend grace. I want to see people not as "the guy who is annoying" or "the girl who never gets things right", and instead see them as Jesus does- as his creation, made in the image of God, a person with a soul, who is faulty and sinful, but who desperately needs grace and kindness extended to them. But how can we do this?

 I've said it before and I'll say it again: the way to fix your problems is not by trying to fix your problems. The way to get more patience is not to just try harder to be patient; it is to turn your eyes on Jesus and be captivated by the patience that he extends us. The way to deal with your anger issue is not by trying to be less angry; you deal with anger by turning your eyes on Jesus and seeing that if anyone had the right to be angry, it was him (crucified for others sins), but that he "laid down his life" (John 10:18) of his own accord. The way to deal with your lust issue is not by just installing software on your computer and trying to lust less; instead, we turn our eyes on Jesus and realize that only he satisfies, only he fills the void in our heart, only he validates us, only he sustains us and brings us ultimate life.

Jesus never asks us to do things that will ultimately harm us, rather he invites us into life and rest (Matthew 11:30). In this rat race of a life, I want to take a step off the wheel. I don't want to be the guy who just shows up to the gym and goes through the motions- I want to work hard and with intensity. I don't want to just ask my beautiful wife questions because I'm supposed to- I want to pursue her heart with passion. I want to turn my eyes on Jesus. I want to beg that by his Spirit, he would open my eyes and heart to see how captivating he truly is, and that in doing so my life would be radically altered for his glory, and my good.

Press on, brothers.

Caitlyn Jenner and John 8

It seems like everyone and their mother has written a post about Caitlyn Jenner, many of which have been extremely polarizing. It seems there are primarily two camps: those who are hyper-supportive, and those who are very clearly not. From what I've read, those who aren't tend to speak in a tone of mockery, judgement, and condemnation. Many of those who are in support point to Jesus and how he "just loved everyone and told us to do the same." It's the classic compassion/judgement scenario. So which is better? Truth, or Love?

To be honest, I had every intention of not saying anything, but felt I may have a word that is both encouraging and enlightening. As I sought truth amidst the chaos surrounding the Jenner controversy, I was driven to my bible, which I know I can trust not just because it is true, but because it is truth (John 17:17). The word of God is the standard by which truth is measured; it defines and embodies truth. So how does the bible speak into this?

I found myself drawn to John 8, the "woman caught in adultery." We all seem to know this one well, and it's a story that is often pointed to when talking about "sinners" (in this case Jenner). I think there is a very important part of the story that often goes overlooked though. To paint the picture, a woman was caught in the middle of cheating on her husband. The religious leaders drug her (probably naked) into the temple where Jesus happened to be preaching. They flung her in front of him, and said "Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such a woman. So what do you say?" (John 8: 4-5).

Just imagine if, while sitting in the middle of Church this Sunday, the doors were suddenly flung open and several of the elders were dragging in some naked woman. Think about just how awkward that would be. Now imagine it was you. Maybe your sin isn't adultery, and maybe you wouldn't be physically naked, yet imagine if all the things that you had done and thought were in an instant put up on the big screen for everyone in the church- your friends, family, community members, people you have known for years- to see, leaving you emotionally exposed. Put yourself in her shoes- the shame, the humiliation, the emotional devastation that you would be feeling. I imagine in some way, this is how Caitlyn Jenner must feel. No matter how bold and defiant Jenner appears in the public square, there must be some part that still feels the ridicule and scorn from those who would identify with Christ. The story goes on though.

Jesus has a way of doing things that go against the grain, and he doesn't disappoint here.

"'Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her'... but when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?' She said, 'No one, Lord.' And Jesus said, 'Neither do I condemn you.'" (John 8:7-11).

What is so amazing, and why we are so drawn to this passage, is that the only person who was without sin, the only one who could have thrown the stones and condemned her, didn't. In this passage we see the compassion, the love, and the mercy of Christ. In a world that is quick to pass judgment, it is easy to forget that people are people- that they have emotions, families, life stories, and a soul. I am so guilty of this at times- of forgetting that the story has a face and a name. As Christians, we must never detach the person from the problem. I love this passage, because Jesus knows her situation, and yet is able to look past it into the person and offer mercy that nobody else was willing to offer. "Neither do I condemn you" is His way of saying, "listen, I know what you've done and it isn't great, but I still love you. I still care about you so fiercely, that I would die to make you whole again." The ultimate manifestation of forgiveness and mercy is found in the  Cross of Christ, where all of our sin was nailed (Colossians 2:13-14). What many people are quick to overlook about John 8, though, is how the story ends.

"Go now and leave your life of sin." (John 8:11)

Jesus was the embodiment of mercy, love, and compassion, but he was also the personification of truth, justice, and holiness. He offered her kindness in her lowest moment, but didn't leave her there. He invited her into more. "Leave your life of sin" is not his way of kicking her while she is down- it is Jesus saying "you know that the life you have been living is empty. I am offering you something better, something richer, something more life giving than you could ever imagine. Don't settle for McDonalds when you can come to the banquet." While he doesn't condemn her ("neither do I condemn you"), this doesn't mean that he is affirming what she is doing. It's one thing to support someone, but something entirely different to support what someone is doing. As Christians, we cannot support our friends doing something that will ultimately harm them. So while Caitlyn Jenner is fully deserving of love, compassion, and mercy from Christians, this does not mean that Christians must affirm the choice to identify as a female after being biologically born as male.

Truth without love is abrasive. Love without truth is wishy-washy. We must be a people who can compassionately engage in the world while boldly speaking truth. It hurts me that so many people who would claim the name of Christ fail to offer the mercy and compassion that Christ spoke of and demonstrated so often. It saddens me to think that the first thing that comes to many people's minds when you say the word "Christian" is judgment, condemnation, and morality police. It breaks my heart that the Church is associated with right-wing conservative politics more than with being the hands and feet of Jesus. But it also saddens me that people who claim the name of Christ have forgotten that Jesus didn't just forgive us and then leave us be, but commanded us to "be holy, for I am holy" (1 Peter 1:16, Leviticus 20:26). It frightens me that "Christians" are so biblically illiterate, and afraid to stand on biblical truth. Romans 12 stands out in my mind as a passage that is of utmost importance to Christians in this day and age:

"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves...bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone... Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

I would encourage you to seek truth where truth is found: in God's word. He is good, his ways are life-giving, and we can trust Him because he always has our best in mind. As we navigate these treacherous waters of society, let us cling to what is good, exhorting those around us as we pursue Christ, all the while never forgetting the soul that is behind the problems. "Our battle is not against flesh and blood... but against the spiritual forces of evil..." (Ephesians 6:12)

Truth

It's been some time since my last post. A lot has changed- I went from being a single man coaching full time, to a married man only coaching a couple classes a week. I stopped lifting for multiple hours a day, and now am content to just do the normal CrossFit classes with my wife. Along with my drastic lifestyle change came a renewed perspective on CrossFit and my faith.

For the longest time, I was under the impression that my job as a coach was to inspire, instruct, and encourage. While this is all true, something I often overlooked was telling people hard truths. For example, I can't tell you how many of my female clients want to be able to do a strict (or kipping, for that matter) pull up. Old Haden would have given them all kinds of technique tips, encouraged the heck out of them, told them of a couple of supplemental exercises, and sent them on their merry way. Now that I only have 2 or so hours every week to make an impact on my athletes, there is no time for that kind of fluff- I have to be more direct. The truth of the matter was that many of them just need to lose excess body fat (dead weight) and get a stronger upper body. There really is just no way around it- doing a pull up is easier when you weight 130 than it is when you weigh 160. To be honest, I just didn't have the heart to tell people this harsh reality though.

In neglecting to tell them what their real problem was, I not only stunted their growth, but concealed the truth from them. In a way, it was deceptive. I gave them a false hope that doing enough ring rows and banded pull ups was the solution, when in reality it was only a part (indeed a very small part) of the solution. I have made a more conscious effort to tell people the loving, but honest truth lately, and the results have been interesting.

What I have come to see is that people love it. Often times, they are initially defensive. Our pride wants us to think that we are better than we are. But once we can take an honest look at ourselves in the mirror, we not only realize what real truth is, but that real truth is loving, and the concealing of truth is not. This is what makes truth so attractive. Like flies to a light bulb, we flock to it, sometimes unknowingly. It draws us in. We can't help it- we all want truth!

Some of the most truthful men I know are the men that I find myself most drawn to. A few brothers in particular stand out- men who will just tell it like it is. They are not ashamed to be frank, but they also do not use their brashness as a license for being rude. Their truth is always wrapped in love, and in a desire to see me or whoever they are around bettered. I often don't get it at first, and sometimes hearing truth about myself frustrates me, but one thing I know is that I am always appreciative of it after spending some time pondering it, and I am irresistibly drawn to it. There is a cool story in the bible that reflects this-

"When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him." - Mark 6:20

Herod didn't understand John, yet for whatever reason, he was drawn to him because John was a man that walked with God intimately and was not afraid to share His truth, even if it was counter-cultural or controversial. We are wired this way. It's unavoidable. I have been amazed lately as I look around at how many of my unbelieving family and friends are so drawn to Christ-followers around them. I don't think they could put words to it, but there is something magnetic about a man or woman who is living a life that is wrapped in truth and it's proclamation. I believe that this is because we are ultimately drawn to Christ, who is the manifestation of truth.

"I am the way, the truth, and the life" -John 14:6.

Seek truth, and know that truth has a name- Jesus. Hopefully it won't be another year before I write another one of these.