“Cut to the chase,” Charles said, “Get to the bottom line. What’s involved in becoming a Christian?” We were sitting in the nose-bleed seats of the new Seattle Mariner baseball stadium. Ichiro, the Japanese batting superstar walked to the plate and I had a few moments to think about Charles’ questions. Ichiro beat out a bunt for another of his signature infield hits and after the crowd quieted down I answered like this:
“Let me tell you about a caterpillar named Stripe. He found himself in a scrambling pile of other caterpillars trying to crawl to the top of a big mound of caterpillars. It was a crawl-or-be-crawled on…every worm for himself situation. Once in a while he heard voices asking, ‘What’s at the top?’ Other voices answered, ‘whatever it is, it must be good because everyone wants to get there.’ He thought that made sense so redoubled his efforts. Finally arriving at the top of the squirming pile he and a few others looked around only to hear someone say, ‘There’s nothing here!’ ‘Shush up!’ said those at the top’. Don’t let the others know that. The very fact that they are trying so hard to get where we already are makes this the best place to be.’”
There was a long pause. Then he asked, “So, what does that have to do with becoming a Christian?”
“Charlie, you are a successful, self-made man who likes being in control. You run your life as it pleases you. You have collected all the status symbols and toys offered to those who get to the top of the heap.
Now you are coming to the realization that your heart is still empty even after all your many accomplishments. You are considering Christianity as a possible way to fill that emptiness. But in the Kingdom of God there’s no more climbing, achieving, and acquiring. Nor can you add God to your portfolio.
Becoming a Christian is about making God the CEO in the boardroom of your inner being. It’s about you no longer maintaining control of your life.”
“I get it,” he grimaced, “It’s an all-or-nothing proposition, isn’t it? God gets all of me and I get His ownership, leadership, and access to what He controls. I guess I should have expected that.”
Our conversation then switched to the person of Jesus and the amazing sacrificial love He had demonstrated in the process of opening the door for each of us to enter the eternal Kingdom of God.
I’ve briefly reviewed the fact that Jesus never used a “one-size-fits-all” formula. Each encounter with a seeking individual was tailored to the uniqueness of their kingdom of self-in-control. I’m determined to follow Jesus especially imitating the way He structured His gospel. Nothing makes more sense to me than sticking with the way He taught the good news.