You Were Made for MoreSample

The Agile

Message

I’m a runner, or better put, a slow jogger. And I’ve gotten to the age where if I’m going to keep jogging, I have to start stretching. Turns out that stretching is harder than running.

Many years ago, when I started trying to learn to stretch, it was the worst part of working out. I’d sweat more trying to touch my toes than I did on the five mile run I had just finished.

I remember one day when I was trying to stretch, and our youngest, who was about two or three at the time, wandered in and saw me suffering and straining just to touch my toes. She sat down beside me, and as only a toddler can do, tied herself into some sort of human pretzel. She looked up at me, smiled, stood up, and laughed out loud. She left the room without saying a single word.

Then it dawned on me as I heard the voice in my head tell me, “William, every day you’re alive, you get less flexible.”

It has since occurred to me that God’s definition of people who are stubborn, who very hard to save, and really not fun to be around is “stiff necked people.” Left to our own devices, we would get stiffer every day, less useful, and less fun to be around.

Agility is the mark of unicorns and an important key to finding the “more” you were meant for. The agile unicorns that we studied were unusually able to adapt, shift, and change with new circumstances. What’s more, our studies found a secret to their agility. It’s not that they are agile. Rather, it’s that they know they have to keep working on agility or it will go away.

Unicorns are agile, but it doesn’t come naturally, not even to them. Unicorns are forever trying to learn to stretch more, literally and figuratively, and they know that without regular stretching, time will make them less flexible.

In today’s story, we see Jesus healing a man who has been disabled for 38 years. Imagine how ruined his ligaments and tendons must’ve been after atrophying for almost four decades. There’s a reason God chose this man and this kind of healing. The deepest healing brings renewed flexibility.

John takes the time to point out that not only was the man able to use his stiff, atrophied body, his spirit was healed as well, with all his sins forgiven. In fact, using those atrophied muscles was part of Jesus' prescription for healing. Do you want to be made well? Then rise up, take up your mat, and go home. Many times, we’re only able to move to the next level in our life when we actively work on stretching our current life.

Interestingly, there’s a story in the book of Acts that mirrors this one. One of the very first miracles of the post-Easter church was Peter healing a paralytic by the gates of the temple.

‘But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.’ Acts 3:6-8

And interestingly, we’re told just how completely healed this man was. We’re given medical terms for ligaments, ankles, and parts of the body that doctor Luke (the author of Acts) knew were hard to heal. Why all of this biological detail? I believe it’s to show us that the works done by those coming after Jesus are greater than what He did while He was here. He said he would use us for greater things, and He shows us that right away with Peter.

Maybe Jesus is ready to do even greater things through you today?

Steps

Where are you stretching yourself? Where are you actively fighting the natural tendency to get stiffer every day? I’d like for you to identify one area of your life that you will work to stretch in. Bonus action step: Download a stretching app and actually stretch your body for ten minutes each day for a week. Let that stretching inspire your thinking to stretch as well.

I believe the future belongs to the agile. We are going to see more change in the next ten years than we ever have before. And those who will remain flexible and keep learning to pivot will be the ones who succeed and are most valuable in the years to come.

Prayer

Lord, don’t let me be stiff. Help me to stretch and reach, and grow for you today. And show me this week one area where I need to stretch more. In Jesus’ name. Amen.