The most important 20 seconds you'll see this week
From the Dashboard >
Promise me something as we start this. Promise me you won’t just scroll down, watch the video and then be done. Promise me you’ll read WHY I’m telling you that this video is the most important 20 seconds you’ll see this week. I really, really want you to.
While age demographics of this audience might skew the numbers a bit, most of you reading right now have watched a significant amount of video content online this week. You probably don’t think that you have, but all platforms considered, it is likely that your jaw would drop if someone told you the actual number of minutes.
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As a reference, a recent study shows that on average, American spend almost 7 hours a day taking in video content. Go back and read that again – I had to. Over six hours of a singular day, which, for those of you who may not excel in math, equals 1/4 of every day, the average American is watching video, mainly through their phones.
With that type of an introduction, this commentary could go a number of different ways. I will leave the topic of our growing obsession with technology for another time, because you know what I actually want to do? I want to add another 30 seconds to your daily video-watching total right now.
I’m doing it because I guarantee it will be the most consequential thing you have watched all day, maybe all week.
Unless you are an avid college or professional football fan, my guess is you don’t know who Traeshon Holden is, or that it’s him that you’re watching in the video clip. In a weird way, that’s kind of the point. It doesn’t matter who it is, that is another lost soul accepting the free gift of salvation offered by God in Christ, identifying himself through baptism with the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus. No other ritual, practice, sacrament, or act of obedience is as meaningful as that – burying the old self and being raised to new life. Eternal life that begins now.
I don’t think I can express in words how much I want my life to be about that. About doing that. Or maybe I should say about leading people towards wanting that for the glory of God and for themselves.
As I mentioned, the gentleman in the video is Dallas Cowboys rookie wide receiver Traeshon Holden. In his video post online, he rightly gave all credit for that moment to Jesus. But let’s talk for just a second about that “moment.”
At the precise second that Traeshon was stepping down into the baptistery, there were a million fights on Facebook occurring over Israel, Iran, and US foreign policy. There were simultaneously packed venues with thousands of people paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to watch dancers, singers, and speakers entertain. Countless weddings were being planned, open houses were being attended, corporate presentations were being assembled. Yet in the halls of heaven, we can be assured that the eyes of angels and the focus of even God Himself were locked on that small baptistery.
It’s not that those other things don’t matter, of course. They do. Under God’s providence there is a time and a place for everything under the sun. Our lives here are not inconsequential or meaningless…so long as we are ordering them in a way that rightly worships God and pursues His glory.
What I mean:
Yes, engage debates over foreign policy. Do it in a Christlike way, being slow to anger, quick to listen, and with a tongue meant to benefit those who listen. Contend for policy that best reflects the wisdom and character of God, that views mankind’s power structures as secondary authorities, held to account by the eternal standard of God’s perfect justice.
Yes, attend concerts, listen to speeches, watch those God has blessed with unique human skill. Never fail to give Him the glory for all that is good, all that is enjoyable, all that is fun. He’s the Creator and originator of such things, after all.
Yes, plan weddings, remembering that the true purpose of the ceremony (and the marriage that follows) is to paint an accurate and beautiful picture to the world that represents the grand mystery of Christ’s relationship with His Church.
Yes, attend open houses, using your presence, or the card you sign, or the gift you bring to honor God.
Yes, prepare the best corporate presentation you possibly can, giving thanks to God for the time, ability, and mental faculties necessary to do so. Recognize that your work is a form of worship, and give a good return on the talents He blessed you to use, ultimately for His glory. Your sphere of influence in the workplace is, after all, the most advantageous mission field you could ever ask for as a Christian evangelist (you already have credibility, respect, relationship, influence…it’s the perfect set-up!).
In other words, the ultimate objective of each of those things that were happening at the very moment Traeshon was entering the baptistery, is to create a future scene where someone else was doing what Traeshon was doing.
God created us to live forever with Him. We screwed that up following our own passions and crowning ourselves king of our own personal universes. In His love for us, God made a way through Jesus to expunge our tragic rebellion from the record and thereby gain admittance to the new heaven and new earth He is creating. A place where we can be restored from our error and be reunited with Him as intended. That’s when our souls feel ultimate contentment, satisfaction, joy, and peace. That’s when we feel whole – truly whole.
Which means this life is ultimately about getting to that life. Are we living this one in a way that demonstrates we understand that reality? If not, let’s start.
Acts 2:38-39 in action! Praise!