A few weeks ago, along with many Arkansans, I called the Hogs to beat Baylor in the Elite Eight. WPS! Alas, the Razorbacks could not pull out a win. Sad. But after that game I began seeing articles on Sports Spectrum, a Facebook page I follow. I read about Baylor’s mission of a culture of JOY- Jesus, Others, and then Yourself. I learned how one of their star players teaches a kid’s Sunday School class. And then I read this quote from Baylor’s head coach Scott Drew. “If I didn’t have a relationship with Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior I’d be a mess and the highs would be too high and the lows would be too low…” These words have stuck with me and I’ve been thinking on them.
You know who had some real life experience with high highs and low lows? Joseph. He’s one of our favorite faithful characters. You don’t get much higher than living in a palace. Being the second-hand man. Ruling over others. Wealth. Prestige. Servants. Unless, it’s reconciling with brothers. Or again embracing your Dad whom you love so dearly and have missed so terribly. Yes, Joseph knew about high highs, but…
Lows too low. Joseph was there, too. You don’t get much lower than being falsely accused of the hideous crime of rape! The crime you were innocent of and wouldn’t EVER consider committing. Thrown into a prison. Called guilty. No one listening to you. Unless, your brothers throw you in a pit. Leave you. Cold. Hungry. Thirsty. Your ankle hurts. No one is coming. You’re going to die there. Alone. Slowly. Lows too low. Joseph knew those as well, but…
But, somehow Joseph, because of his belief in God, whom he couldn’t see, wasn’t a mess. Obviously, his fears and excitements over the course of his life ranged from lows to highs, but Joseph was able to remain steadfast. Rooted. Grounded. Anchored. Solid. Immovable.
Joseph went to his death believing in a promise God made to his people. The lows were not too low and the highs were not too high to make Joseph lose his faith. What about us? You. Me. Our lows. Our highs. What will we do? We gonna be a mess? Or are we gonna be a message of JOY? God has given us a promise, too. Like Joseph, let’s be immovable in our belief and anchored in our hope of the soon coming of our Savior!