You Can't Ride the Fence

If any athlete was known for focus, it was Michael Jordan. In Jordan’s book, Driven from Within, Fred Whitfield, president and chief operating officer of the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats basketball team, tells a fascinating story about something Jordan did while getting ready to go out one evening. When Jordan asked if he could borrow a jacket from Whitfield, he found Whitfield’s closet was filled with both Nike and Puma products. The Nike outfits had been given to Whitfield because of his relationship with Jordan, who had a lucrative contract with the company.

Whitfield recalls that Jordan walked into the living room, laid all the Puma gear on the floor, and went into the kitchen to grab a butcher knife. When Jordan returned to the living room, he proceeded to cut all the Puma clothes to shreds. He then picked up the scraps and carried everything to the dumpster. Once Jordan came back inside, he turned to Fred and said, “Don’t ever let me see you in anything other than Nike. You can’t ride the fence!”

Wow! Some of you are probably thinking that Michael Jordan lost his mind. I mean, what does it really matter if you have Nike plus something else? Actually, it matters a lot if you are committed to excellence.
Jordan won six basketball championships for the Chicago Bulls because he didn’t ride the fence. Phil Jackson won eleven championships for the Bulls and Lakers because he didn’t ride the fence. It is true of Kobe Bryant with his five rings as well. All of them were committed to doing everything possible so they could help their team be the best in the world. -Copied-

"You can't ride the fence" is also true for our Christian lives if we are going to be successful.  Too many people want the blessings of God while at the same time wanting to live like the world.  They live with a half-hearted faith or as Revelation 3:16 refers to them as "lukewarm."  Jesus warns the Laodicean church in that passage that lukewarm faith, neither hot or cold, makes him want to spit them out of his mouth.  In other words, people who try to ride the fence between true Christianity and still loving and participating in the world's distractions make him sick.

Spiritual "fence riders" need to realize there is a big difference between what we say we are and what God sees.  Jesus warns us in Matthew 25:31-45 that there will be no fence riding at the Judgment Day.  There will only be two categories of people--those who lived in obedience to the Lord's commands and those who did not.  There will be no place for those persons who try to be spiritual while at the same time continue in their sinfulness.

Are you a spiritual fence rider?  I challenge you to come this Sunday and find out just what that really means for your future and how you can get off the fence.

See you Sunday,
Pastor Jeff