There’s light at the end of the tunnel….too bad it’s a train

Once every while you are caught off guard by what someone says or does.

I was a part time sports writer for the Mt. Pleasant Morning Sun taking basketball scores over the phone.

How this works…

The home teams coach (most of the time) calls the newspaper to give us their box score and couple paragraph information on the game.

This one coach called in and told me the score, they lost by a score like 67-29.

Typically, when you talk with the losing coach, he treats you like crap.

He mumbles names, pouts and blames you for every mistake.

You really get a feel from poor sports when you talk to the losing coach.

I was expecting the same from this coach that almost lost by 40 points.

This was our conversation…

Coach: Calling in the score for ______ vs _______.

Me: Ok, what was the score?

Coach: _______ lost 67-29.

Me: Sorry to hear that coach.

Coach: It's alright. We had some ups and downs but showed signs of improvement.

Me: (Surprised by his positive outlook) That's a great way to look at it.

Coach: Yeah, we defiantly show there is light at the end of the tunnel…too bad it's a train.

Me: (Losing composure, I just start to laugh) Wow, I have never heard that before.

This coach had a great outlook and a sense of humor.

We all look for a sign of improvement or for hope.

What if that is something we can't see?

Faith is hard for this reason.

It's not always something you can see or experience.

People are always looking for a sign (I was one of these people) that Jesus exists.

We think, when we see physical proof, then we will believe.

This could but most likely isn't going to happen.

People wanted a sign from Jesus when we was alive and Jesus told the crowd this is Luke 11:29-30…

"This is a wicked generation. It asks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation."

Jesus tells the story of Jonah.

Jonah didn't do what God wanted him to do so for a couple of days God punished him by sticking him the belly of a large fish.

When he came out he went and did what God wanted him to do and people believed him.

Jesus was a sign to the generation he lived in.

So often we get stuck thinking if we just saw what faith in Jesus is, we would believe.

This is not how it works.

Faith is trusting in something you can't always physically see or believe.

There are times I see and believe in Jesus through actions.

Yesterday we did the Operation Christmas Child project.

It's where people from the Church and students used their own money and wrapped presents to send present to underprivileged children all over the world.

Our presents could go anywhere.

Students and people from the Church gave money for this.

As a result we had 12 Christmas presents sent from Terre Haute, IN to places all over the world.

It's because of Jesus we give and think outside of ourselves.

I was able to witness a student (who just celebrated his birthday) use about $90 dollars of his birthday money and use it for presents to give.

This student could have used the money and got Call of Duty Black Ops like some of his friends.

Instead he gave out of what he was given.

Through times like this we are able to see Christ in people.

That is what faith is all about.

How do you show faith?

Have a great day.