Adapt
Well, Tiger Woods did it again, bum knee and all. (Lakers didn’t — bummer. But congrats to those of you who are Celtics fans. The best team won.) On Monday, while Tiger was playing his playoff round, I called my sister in California about the upcoming Scheenstra family reunion. After I boasted about my going seven miles on my Trikke the previous afternoon, as has been the case since I was a year old and she was still in my mother’s womb, Linda set me straight again about who was the real athlete in the family.
Recently Linda injured a shoulder the day before the start of a golf tournament. She thought she was going to have to bow out, but then the thought came to try swinging right-handed (we’re both lefties). When she first learned to play golf, Linda would sometimes play right-handed just to keep things interesting when playing the likes of me. Even though she hadn’t played right-handed for 18 years, after injuring her shoulder, Linda decided to trying hitting a few balls at the driving range. The long and short of it is that LInda played the first round of the tournament right-handed — and ended the day tied for the lead. Fortunately a chiropractor was able to free her shoulder so that she could play the rest of the tournament left-handed. Needless to say, she won by several strokes.
John Stackhouse writes:
Realism requires a constant renegotiation of changing contexts and contingencies. We both maintain the perpetual elements of any proper Christian living and adapt them to the features of this particular occasion.
The key word here is “adapt.” Are you a person who is able to adapt to “changing contexts and contingencies?” Contexts are the places we normally live and work and play. Sometimes we choose or are forced to change jobs, schools or neighborhoods. Within a single day some of us have to figure out how to follow Christ within very different contexts like family, friends, work, shopping mall and highway. Contingencies are the interruptions in our lives, the things we don’t expect.
I can think of a number of things that Jesus and the NT writers said which suggest that we’re to respond to changing contexts and contingencies with grace and creativity: “If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to them the other also.” “Whatever your task, put yourselves into it, as done for the Lord and not for your masters.” AA talks about the importance of “accepting life on life’s terms.” This kind of acceptance isn’t resignation. Instead of becoming passive, we creatively and responsibly work with the hand we’ve been dealt. This is more a matter of attitude than talent. The right attitude can awaken talent and creativity that we didn’t know we had. Even more important are the wisdom and gifts that the Spirit gives when we trust the Father’s sovereignty and seek to respond to people and circumstances in Jesus’ name.
Sharon and I will be flying to California this afternoon. Have a blessed rest of the week.
June 20, 2008 at 8:43 am
I needed to hear that it is important to “adapt”. Recently leaving one job to begin a new and different one I’ve had to adapt in all kinds of ways. I found out early on that there was no sense in comparing the two jobs or trying to bring what took place in one job to the other. They are totally different. At times in my new job I’ve found myself with nothing to do and no one near by to instruct me! In those moments I’ve talked with Jesus and asked Him to help me be useful and productive in some way. He came through for me in every circumstance enlighting me in ways to keep busy. I also find that I have some alone, quiet time during the day and take these opportunities to talk to God about other people who need Him. I’ve had to work at adapting to different work hours, a different environment, different personalities in co-workers, even a different work ethic in those co-workers and some supervisors. I am grateful for my new job and some things that it has taught me. I also go in each day asking Jesus to help me adapt but keep who I am in Him ever present.