Momentum

I am a big sports fan. One of the things that makes watching a sporting event so exciting is momentum. Momentum is what you can consider an intangible part of the game, but when watching or playing, momentum is palpable. When your favorite athlete or team is doing well, you can feel the momentum build…it draws you to the edge of your seat, gets you to your feet, and helps you cheer a little louder. When your favorite athlete or team isn’t doing as well, you also can feel the momentum wane…you sit back, your heart races, and you fear the worst. Professional golfer, Rocco Mediate, once said, “As any athlete knows, momentum is the most unstoppable force in sports. The only way to stop it is if you get in your own way, start making stupid mistakes or stop believing in yourself.” Momentum might be an intangible, but when it shifts, it really is palpable!

Momentum isn’t just evident in sports, but in many aspects of life; and yes, this even includes the church. We experience momentum when we see vision realized, missions accomplished, and lives turned toward the Lord. When faced with momentum challenges in our lives and church, remembering the Great Commandments – to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12.30-31) – and the Great Commission – go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything [Jesus] commanded (Matthew 28.19-20) – is essential!

There is a great story in the book of Acts that speaks to me about momentum in this sense. It occurs in Acts 9 when Saul of Tarsus was blinded and convicted by Jesus, then converted to become the Apostle Paul, the greatest Christian missionary of all time. Before he was Paul, Saul of Tarsus was an enemy to Christianity. He was devoted to seeking out followers of Jesus and putting an end to them. As a result, people were afraid of him, and rightfully so. But as Jesus changed Paul’s heart on the road to Damascus, he sensed a shift in momentum that forever changed his life. This does not mean that everyone was comfortable with life change, but Paul’s encounter with Jesus left him undeterred. Check out this verse: But their suspicions didn’t slow Saul down for even a minute. His momentum was up now and he plowed straight into the opposition, disarming the Damascus Jews and trying to show them that this Jesus was the Messiah. (Acts 9.22, The Message).

As I read that verse, I cannot help but think of football and a running back plowing through the defensive line with his teammates leading the way. Everyone on the offense is unified with one goal: working together to reach the end zone and score the touchdown. And once the running back “breaks the plane,” the culmination of that momentum shift is realized…people jump to their feet, arms raised in the air, and voices cheering in unison. If you think about it with your favorite team about to win the big game, you can almost feel the energy and excitement can’t you?!?!?

We have the opportunity in our daily living to be momentum-builders for others. When we put others’ needs before our own, it can make someone’s day and change someone’s life! Have you seen the story of the Olivet Middle School football team that is going around the Internet right now? It was featured on the CBS evening news; you can watch the 3-minute video below. 

Think about how the selfless acts of those young football players changed the momentum of not only that one child’s life, but everyone’s on the team!

I want to encourage you to build a little momentum for the Lord in your life by pointing people to Jesus. Often times we think it takes big things to accomplish such change, but in reality, we are often moved most by the little things…the simple things. So find someone in your life that needs a little Christian love, serve them and show them the love of our Almighty God! And you never know, it might just be the greatest thing anyone could ever do!