Stress is something that almost everyone is familiar with. Whether it be a test we’ve taken, a sporting event we’ve participated in, watching our favorite team in crunch time, or driving during rush hour, we’ve all experienced some form of stress in our lives. A career in sports is exciting, but it can be stressful at times. Long days, a high level of competitiveness, heavy demands, and the fast paced environment of sports are all contributing factors to increased stress levels across the industry. The challenge for young professionals in the sport industry is learning how to manage their stress. In this blog, we will take a look at how we should be managing stress as followers of Christ and the counsel God has given us to handle the anxieties we experience in his life. A career in sports is like many other careers in that there is always something young professionals are seeking. Promotions, recognition, networking, and winning are some of the most sought after things in the industry. When we read the Scriptures, we learn that God has an entirely different command for us and points out that the things we seek after are what most often causes our stress: “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” - Matthew 6:25-34 In this passage, Jesus directly tackles stress. He leaves us with three applications that help us manage our stress: Life is more than accumulating material gain. We can trust in the Lord’s provision. We must seek Him and a righteous life above all things. Let’s start with the first one. Jesus says in verse 26, “ Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” Stress is often born out of our desire to gain material possessions or tackle responsibilities under our own strength. The harder I work, the more hours I put in, the more games we win, the more people I network with the more I will be able to provide for myself, fulfill my desires, and successfully complete my tasks. In following these lines of thought, we forget that our lives are worth more than material things and worldly responsibilities and that the material things we gain are provided by our heavenly Father. So, what is Jesus saying about how we should approach material things and worldly responsibilities? Life is far more than our basic needs, possessions, and tasks. We were created to enjoy and worship God (Isaiah 43:21; Titus 2:14). Therefore, we shouldn’t spend our time stressing about these temporary material pleasures, but rather shifting our focus away from ourselves and our own efforts, and joining the yoke with Christ (Matthew 11:28-30) as we journey through this life and a career in sports. What about the second application? In verse 30, Jesus says, “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” Just to be clear, this verse is not saying that God will give us a fresh new pair of Air Jordan’s because we put our faith in Him. Rather, the Scripture is saying that if God so beautifully designed the grass of the field, which isn’t nearly as valuable in His eyes, shouldn’t you trust that He has given you everything you need to be successful in what He has called you to do? Therefore, we should not be anxious about not having enough skill, experience, or finances, but rather we should trust that the Lord has provided us with everything we need for the task we have been assigned. The third application is one that is commonly discussed in sermons and Bible study groups but is rarely lived out. In verse 33, Jesus says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” When we seek something, we attempt to find it. By using the word “seek”, Jesus is telling us that no matter what we do, we have to find Him at the center of it. We have to allow Christ to be the King of our every affair, we have to hand over every situation to His hand, and we must submit and obey His righteous calling over our lives. In doing this, we remove the weight of stress and anxiety from our own shoulders, and we place our Creator at the center of it all. Do you see what God is calling us to do? In our careers, in our relationships, in our menial tasks and responsibilities, our purpose and mission remain the same. We can’t separate our relationship with Christ from our worldly responsibilities. God is calling us to not just include Him in our careers and responsibilities but to make Him the main thing we seek while we are engaged in careers and responsibilities. There is a lot of freedom in that calling. A career in sports can be stressful, but it was never meant to be done alone. As Jesus stated in the verses above, we can know as followers of Christ that our lives are far more than material possessions and worldly responsibilities, and that we were made to enjoy and praise our Creator. We can know that the Lord has given us everything we need to be successful in the worldly positions He has given us. Lastly, we can know that Jesus wants us to find Him in the midst of everything we do. If we take the words of this Scripture and apply them to our lives, we can find freedom from stress and anxiety, both in a career in sports and in life itself.

In this episode of the Uncommon Podcast, former Athletes in Action campus staff member Andre Cooley joins the show to share his testimony on the significance of baptism in his walk with the Lord, the dangers and challenges of being faced with false teachings, the importance of having an eternal mindset, and more! A new episode of the Uncommon Podcast is released every two weeks. You can find it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, right here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. Check out this week's episode, and be sure to subscribe to our podcast to get alerts when new episodes are released! Curious about Uncommon Sports Group and what our ministry has to offer? Contact us to learn more here! Do you want to join the largest community of future Christian leaders of the college and pro sport industry? Apply to join here!

The more I ‘grow’ in my faith and intimacy with God the more I seem to be reminded of my need to reflect upon the most seemingly simple truths. The first of these simple truths is found in the very first words of the entire Bible. “In the beginning, God created..” I think it could be argued that these are actually 5 of the most challenging words in all of Scripture because of all that they mean. If GOD is the One Who Created, then that means I am the creation. If GOD is the One Who Created, then that means He is in control, not me. If GOD is the One Who Created, then that means He knows all things, not me. If GOD is the One Who Created, then that means He determines my purpose, not me. If GOD is the One Who Created, then that means this is His story, not mine. Put simply, if God is God, then I am not. But since the very beginning of creation, we have naturally resisted this picture. Our defiance of God’s governance is how sin entered the world. We insist on a different picture. One in which we call the shots, and we decide what is best. Surely, we as the creation must know ourselves better than our Creator. Similar to a clay pot challenging its potter on how it should be molded, we refuse to believe our Creator knows best. Paul addresses this inclination of ours directly in Romans 9:20, “But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’” Not only is God above us, He is high above us. There is not just a small difference between God and creation. Andrew Wilson explains in his book Incomparable: Explorations in the Character of God, “The difference between God’s being and ours is more than the difference between the sun and a candle, more than the difference between the ocean and a raindrop, more than the difference between the arctic ice cap and a snow flake, more than the difference between the universe and the room we are sitting in: God’s being is qualitatively different. No limitation or imperfection in creation should be projected on to our thought of God. He is the creator; all else is creaturely. All else can pass away in an instant; he necessarily exists forever.” Thankfully we learn later that this Creator, God, decided to make us in His image. So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. - Genesis 1:27 So yes we are still below God, but we are made in the image of God and are given dominion over everything else God created. Additionally, God even created many things for our pleasure, including the beauty of His creation, and relationships with fellow humans. Above all else though, God created us to enjoy Him. Since God is our Creator, He knows best what will most satisfy His creation. It has been said, “God is not some cosmic killjoy, He just knows the things that will most kill our joy.” As Creator, God designed exactly how His creation would flourish. He even revealed this knowledge to us in the Bible. And while different in design, all humans were created by God to have equal value. God’s world under God’s governance is a beautiful picture. A perfect picture in fact. “Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!” - Genesis 1:31a Let us strive to live a life that is set on God’s terms, not our own. Let us live in constant remembrance of this simple truth: God is God, we are not.

USG member, Nash Newberry, was the winner of USG's 2022 Spring Reflection Scholarship. This blog will feature Nash's winning essay! You can view this year's scholarship essay prompt here. Winning Spring 2022 Essay by: Nash Newberry - Graduate Assistant Equipment Manager with Clemson Football "Growing up, I thought my life purposes were to be a good kid and become famous. These were my goals and aspirations: make my parents happy through my behavior and develop into a notable athlete. The interesting truth is I somewhat achieved both of these goals; I was a morally sound young person as well as an excellent athlete. Yet, I recognized that life was not truly fulfilling. I was selfish in trying to act cordially and do nice things. That was only to make me look better than everyone else around me. Thankfully, Jesus found me, stopped me in my tracks, and showed me that my life purpose is far greater than doing anything for myself. Now as a professional in the sports industry, I feel that my purpose is simple: serve others through my role in athletics just like Jesus served all of humanity. He did so through love and sacrifice, so those two characteristics are the foundation for my personal mission. Likewise, my job as an equipment manager fits my purpose perfectly because that role is predominantly entrenched in serving the needs and wants of student-athletes and coaches. I feel that my calling in this job is to love and embrace the college players who I interact with every day. They all come to the equipment room with various trials and tribulations, and I receive the pleasure of pouring into them tangibly, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Certainly, it is necessary that I sacrifice many things to perform this role such as free time, job prestige, and often a high salary. However, this job allows me to display the joy, service, and sacrifice of the Lord. There is one question that I constantly ask myself: how does my life at work display who God is? Thus, it is my mission to honor God and do the will of God on earth through my work. Therefore, my purpose remains to serve the hearts, not the talents, of student-athletes in the ways of Jesus. Over the past several years, my faith in Christ has allowed me to step outside my comfort zone and grow personally and professionally. Naturally, I have always been a laid back and a go 3 with the flow type of person. This mindset still exists, but I now understand the importance of being bold in my professional and spiritual lives. I came to Clemson not knowing anyone in the workplace, so that was a big leap from comfort. I thought I wanted to fit in and assimilate with my peers, but I felt God tugging at me to be different. Therefore, God granted me the freedom to not homogenize with the culture of college aged young men. Instead, I sensed Him calling me to be bold in my faith and interject Christ into the setting of college football. This has afforded me the opportunity to make authentic connections with people around me in athletics and see God work miracles. Through my obedience, God has opened so many doors to reach young people and plant the seed of Christlikeness into their lives. Because of the boldness to be intentional and engage in these genuine conversations, I have grown immensely in my personal and professional lives. My gift is to love, serve, and care for athletes and coaches. Undoubtedly, this aligns with my current role in the sports industry. Hence, it is my responsibility to be a good steward of this gift that God has given me. Similarly, the most significant way I can serve people within my organization is by showing visible love and sacrifice. This includes tending to every player’s need as well as lending a helping hand even when it may not be my duty. Also, I can tangibly serve those in my department by bringing breakfast to my co-workers once per week. This simple act of kindness goes a long way in building trust and camaraderie with my peers. Moreover, this trust can lead to fruitful conversations about the love, service, and sacrifice of Jesus. Certainly, miracles can happen when God and food are present. Ultimately, by having an established and trusted relationship from being a staple around the locker room and equipment room, I can effectively navigate my way toward dialogue that encompasses eternal significance. 4 Overall, I believe the light of Christ will shine through my work as I create spaces for Him to show up and infiltrate the lives of those around me." Thank you, Nash, for participating in this year's Spring Reflection Scholarship! We are also thankful to our sponsor, Helmet Tracker, for making this scholarship opportunity possible for all thirteen of our winners! If you have an interest in taking part in USG's Reflection Scholarship program, be sure to apply for our Fall 2022 Reflection Scholarship. Our team looks forward to hearing more encouraging and uplifting stories from the next round of our scholarship program. Click here for more information on our Scholarship Program.

It is our calling as followers of Jesus to be disciple-makers through the sharing of the gospel message that comes through Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. In Matthew 28:16-20, Jesus commissions His disciples to go and make disciples of all nations, and in Acts 1:8, Jesus commands His disciples to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth. While many followers of Jesus know this command from the Lord, it is much more difficult to live it out or know how to have a spiritual conversation. In this episode of the Uncommon Podcast, Senior Director of Missions & Evangelism at Grace Church in Eden Prairie, MN, Dave Gibson, shares advice and personal experience on having spiritual conversations. A new episode of the Uncommon Podcast is released every two weeks. You can find it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, right here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. Check out this week's episode, and be sure to subscribe to our podcast to get alerts when new episodes are released! Curious about Uncommon Sports Group and what our ministry has to offer? Contact us to learn more here! Do you want to join the largest community of future Christian leaders of the college and pro sport industry? Apply to join here!

This week our Uncommon Sports Group team is headed to Nairobi, Kenya with seven of our members for a 13 day mission trip. The group will begin traveling this Friday and will land in Nairobi on Saturday at 2 PM CST. Our staff team is excited to be on this journey with our members and having the opportunity to serve internationally! What will our team be doing? Our team will be doing a wide variety of activities and service opportunities during our time in Kenya. We will be hosting sports camps with the students at the Huduma school. These camps are a great opportunity to provide sports equipment to the school, as well as giving the students at Huduma an exciting break from class! Our members and staff will teach sports like basketball, American football, and volleyball over the course of the first four days of our time in Kenya. Our group will also have the opportunity to do street evangelism in the Kawangware slum. This is an exciting opportunity for our group to share the good news with the impoverished people of that slum community. The people of the Kawangware community live on less than one American dollar a day, which is a level of poverty that our group is unfamiliar with. There is a definite need for the good news of Jesus Christ for those people, and our team is ecstatic to have the opportunity to share! We will also have the opportunity to host a coaches clinic for 85 Kenyan youth sports coaches. The clinic will be focused on teaching Christ-centered leadership to the participating coaches. Our staff will lead two sessions over two days, and our members will have the opportunity to lead conversations in breakout sessions during the clinic! Who is on our team? Our Kenya group consists of seven members and three staff members: Seth Ralston, Ministry Operations and Events Manager at Uncommon Sports Group Michael “Mikey” Carpenter, Senior Engagement Associate at Uncommon Sports Group Noah Weiss, Engagement Associate at Uncommon Sports Group Samantha Williams, Assistant Athletic Advisor at the University of Missouri Kansas City Thomas Doran, Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach at SUNY Oneonta Conrad Chow, Basketball Analyst at Pro Insight Emma Prillaman, Women’s Basketball Manager at the University of Virginia Ian Keiderling, Women’s Basketball Student Assistant at Graceland University Garrett Sons, Student Equipment Manager for Football at the University of Oklahoma Erin Couwenhoven, Customer Service Manager at Uncommon Sports Group What do we need prayers for? Our team would greatly appreciate prayers for our trip to Kenya! Below are some of the items that we need prayers for during our travels and our trip: Negative COVID-19 tests for all our staff and participants prior to traveling on Friday and prior to our flights back home. Safe travels for our group to Nairobi and back, as we have about 16 hours of flying time both ways! Physical health and avoiding sickness during our time in Kenya. The hearts of the Kenyan people and students at the Huduma school that we will come into contact with. The street evangelism opportunity at the Kawangware slum and that the gospel will penetrate the hearts of the individuals the Lord brings us into contact with. The hearts of our group, both staff and members, and that the Lord will encourage and take away anxieties that will be present. Follow us throughout the trip! If you want to stay up to date with our team’s trip to Kenya, click this link and sign up for the daily newsletter that will be going out!

The Uncommon Sports Group New York City Impact Weekend was truly a gift from God. It gave me a sense of humility to watch our staff pour their hearts into the participants with intentionality and inspiration. In a city where bright lights illuminate so many in need while the masses walk by, oblivious to the plight and desperation, our mission was clear from the start. Sharing God’s word was job number one and the least we could offer those crying out for love, kindness, and nourishment. I began the weekend in awe of God’s amazing power, of his vision and ability to build a city with such vigor and precision. The magnitude of the city naturally produced excitement and energy in all of us. That intense energy reminded me of a verse from scripture, 1 Peter 4:8-10: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gifts you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” True to God’s word, the team connected immediately as our hearts and purpose aligned with the Holy Spirit, who drove our conversations and interactions. Our faith and desire to grow spiritually brought us all to a place of authenticity and friendship. God’s orchestration was evident in our first guest speakers: Bryan Peters, Steven Rudd, and Nick Lachney from St. John’s University. All three speakers were past USG Academy or MOAM (Managers On a Mission) participants. They each gave heartfelt testimonials, detailing how their lives have been guided, and how their faith in God’s enduring love has grown since their time with Uncommon Sports Group. Bryan described a trip to Israel as life-changing from a spiritual perspective. Upon his return, he encouraged Steven and Nick to join Uncommon Sports Group, hoping that they could share similar experiences. The trio’s wealth of faith and purpose was inspirational to all the students. We then departed for dinner, bowling, and sightseeing in Manhattan. As we finished our meal the Holy Spirit filled our student’s hearts as they decided to share food with anyone in need while walking through Times Square. The impact was immediate and well-received. The team gave away over a dozen meals to homeless brothers and sisters. The team was grateful for the Lord’s blessings and the opportunity to give, meet, and pray over our neighbors as night fell on the city. As the sun rose the following morning we were all greeted by God’s warmth and light. Our staff had an exciting discussion planned to pour further confidence into our students. Presenting on Gallup’s Strength Finder curriculum, they provided insight into each of the attendees' personal strengths and discussed how best to utilize them for God’s glory. That morning the students were also presented with a poignant testimonial from our guest speaker, Andy Birdsong, the Assistant GM of the Brooklyn Nets. He fought back tears as he spoke about his journey through the sport industry and the impact Christ has had on his life. It was evident that his faith has helped him cope with his personal struggles and successes in the sport industry. The Lord often works through community and the Lord’s work was obvious in Andy’s testimony. We all left the hotel on a spiritual high and the group was ready to share God’s love in Central Park. We walked through the park and handed out impact bags filled with very humble gifts: food, socks, and personal care items. We were greeted with smiles, gratitude, and questions. We prayed over many individuals who took God’s love and grace into their hearts. Still, others had a story to tell and wanted to share stories about their life with us. We took the time to sit and listen, opening our hearts to find a common love for God. These experiences and conversations bound us together as fellow members of our Christian family. I thank God for providing each of us with this incredible and truly eye-opening experience. It’s one that I will never forget. I need to thank Bryan Peters, Steven Rudd, and Nick Lachney for their kindness and faith. I need to thank Andy Birdsong for his heart, love, and for sharing his touching truth of finding his path to God. I want to thank each of the USG Academy participants for their love, energy, and capacity to put their faith into action. Finally, I am grateful to my fellow USG Staff members- Noah, Mikey, Suzanne, and Seth- for all their work, preparation, and their commitment to the Gospel. Each of them brings a gift from God to pour into our academy and our students. This trip was truly transformational in my life. It helped me see more opportunities and possibilities in sharing God’s love as he continues to challenge each of us to love one another as He loved us.

Uncommon Sports Group recently helped Will Manson attend the New York City Impact Weekend on April 22-24, 2022 to assist him in growing professionally and in Christ. Below is a reflection on his experience in the Big Apple! This will be the time of your life! Not only are you surrounded by the absolute best staff, but you will leave the weekend filled with so much growth in the sport industry and in your faith. You will never forget this trip and the USG staff truly shows their passion! Weekends like this are just one of the many ways USG helps its members continue to grow into becoming uncommon leaders throughout the college and pro sports industry. Click here to learn how you can join the USG Network by completing our USG Academy!

Uncommon Sports Group recently helped Frank Sheets attend the New York City Impact Weekend on April 22-24, 2022 to assist him in growing professionally and in Christ. Below is a reflection on his experience in the Big Apple! The USG Academy enabled me to develop a better understanding of my relationship with Christ and my overall purpose in life! During our Impact Weekend in NYC, I was able to come out of my comfort zone and conduct outreach for those who were in need. If you're in the sports industry or aspiring to be, I highly suggest you apply and be a part of a community that will assist you in understanding how to balance your spiritual and professional life! Weekends like this are just one of the many ways USG helps its members continue to grow into becoming uncommon leaders throughout the college and pro sports industry. Click here to learn how you can join the USG Network by completing our USG Academy!

Uncommon Sports Group is humbled to have the opportunity to provide $20,000 of scholarship funds to thirteen young professionals who desire to work in the sport industry each semester. These scholarships are awarded thanks to our generous sponsor, Helmet Tracker. Our Spring 2022 Reflection Scholarship required applicants to watch the “Importance of Serving Others” video done by former NFL wide receiver, Anquan Boldin. Applicants were then asked to answer four reflective questions based on the video. We'd like to thank everyone who took the time to apply! Scholarship Winners: First Place - $5,000 Scholarship: Nash Newberry - Graduate Assistant Equipment Manager, Clemson University Football Second Place - $3,000 Scholarship: Sara Smith- Head Swimming and Diving Coach, Roberts Wesleyan College Third Place - $2,000 Scholarship: Josiah Filegar, Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach, Trevecca Nazarene University Honorable Mentions: $1,000 Scholarships Mark Fairley- Graduate Assistant Cross Country and Track & Field, Liberty University Faith Padgett- Graduate Student and Operations Assistant, Florida Atlantic University Kyle Yost- Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach, Whitworth University Leif Caesar- Graduate Assistant in Compliance, University of Nevada, Las Vegas Paul Conner- Operations Intern, Seminole Boosters Madison See- Mental Health Clinician for Athletics, House of Hope Counseling Joshua Fenwick- Event Operations Coordinator, Loudoun United Joshua Roberson- Compliance and Academic Coordinator, Davenport University Scott Daughtry- Men’s Basketball Student Manager, University of Tennessee Nicole Mackey- Women’s Basketball Student Manager, Wake Forest University For those who are new to Uncommon Sports Group, USG is a non-profit that provides professional and Christ-centered training to young adults pursuing a career in collegiate or professional athletics. For more information or to apply to be a part of our next USG Academy, check out our website or contact us. We'd love to hear from you.

In this episode, Noah and Seth talk about what it looks like to live on mission for Christ and His Kingdom, as well as answering some questions from USG Members, such as how often you should read the Bible and the biggest lesson God has taught Seth and Noah this year! Each month, the Uncommon Podcast releases an episode in the series "Coffee Conversations", where our staff discusses some of the hot topics in the sport industry and ministry event updates as well as closing with answering questions from our listeners! Be sure to catch new episodes of the Uncommon Podcast each week on Thursdays!

Pastor Judah Smith of Churchome in Kirkland, Washington succinctly stated in a sermon entitled “What Happened to My Passion” that Christians are more often known for what they stand for than for who they follow. I couldn’t agree more. In America, Christians are often viewed as a people with sets of beliefs or political stances, rather than a people who have a saving relationship with the living God. America’s political landscape over the past few years has become as divided as it ever has been. I almost daily come across social media posts full of divisive political opinions, from Christians and non-Christians alike. So, how should the Church in America respond to the present “cancel culture” climate? As Pastor Judah Smith stated, we need to be known for WHO we follow, not WHAT we stand for. It is important to have sound biblical opinions that align with God’s will, but it is all the more important to live the way Jesus lived and act the way he acted towards the lost and sinful people of His day. In this blog, we will look at how Jesus approached sinful people during His ministry and how He used compassion to impact those who were far from God in their opinions, thoughts, and actions. The Wee Little Man If you grew up attending Sunday school classes, you are certainly familiar with the story of the wee little man, Zacchaeus. In Luke 19:1-10, we see the compassion of Christ at work, as he interacts with Zacchaeus: “Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭19:1-10‬ Tax collectors were despised amongst Israel in Jesus’ day. They often were Jews working for the Roman empire, who oppressed the people of Israel, so these tax collectors were viewed as traitors. On top of that, tax collectors were not paid wages by the Romans but were told to collect more than what was owed on taxes, keeping the leftovers for themselves. It is understandable that the Jews detested these money laundering traitors. However, we see in this text how Jesus interacts with the tax collector named Zacchaeus. It is important to note the heart of Zacchaeus in verse 3. Luke notes that Zacchaeus had a desire to see Jesus, which is why he climbed the fig tree in verse 4. How can we apply this to our presently divided and opinionated society? Well, a lot of people are looking for and seeking something that will fulfill their desires and mend their hearts. Many people are climbing the fig tree. As we will see in the remainder of this text, it is how we as the Church interact with the lost that defines how they view Jesus. In verse 5, Jesus sees Zacchaeus in the tree and says, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” The word “must” in verse five is derived from the Greek word dei, which means “it is necessary” or “there is need of”. Matthew uses this same word in Matthew 16:21 when describing Jesus’ explanation of the necessity of His death and resurrection. Jesus didn’t just kind of want to hang out with Zacchaeus, rather He made it clear that it was necessary to do so. Why? In verse 10, Jesus makes it clear His purpose in visiting Zacchaeus’ home: “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Jesus came to this broken world to seek and save those who are lost and far from God. It is also important to note HOW Jesus chose to seek and save Zacchaeus in this interaction. Jesus didn’t condemn Zacchaeus for laundering money from God’s chosen people for his own wealth (Luke 19:2). He didn’t demand Zacchaeus to change his behavior. He didn’t turn to the crowd to tell them how disappointed or disgusted He was with Zacchaeus. Instead, the God-man demands to stay at Zacchaeus’ home. It was the simple act of Jesus’ compassion towards a sinner that resulted in the salvation of the tax collector Zacchaeus (Luke 19:9). It should be expected that non-believers will have thoughts, opinions, and actions that go against God’s will as revealed in Scripture. Zacchaeus was living a life that directly went against God’s will. However, our response cannot be that of the crowd in Luke 19:7. The crowds following Jesus and praising Him were the ones who grumbled against Him for spending time with a sinner. Our knee-jerk reaction should not be to condemn, ostracize, or point out the faults and opinions of lost people. Instead, we as the Church should show the compassion that Christ showed Zacchaeus and provide people outside of the Church a picture of the heart of Who we follow, not the stances we take or the opinions we hold fast to. The Adulterous Woman I was scrolling through Instagram one day and I saw a post that read, “Jesus Hates Abortion”. The first thing that came to my mind when I read this was John 8:1-11, in which Jesus forgives the adulterous woman in front of a crowd of fuming Pharisees: “but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him, but Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”” ‭‭John‬ ‭8:1-11 I didn’t disagree with the Instagram post I mentioned, but the post did not reflect the heart of Christ to the non-believers that interacted with it. Yes, it is true that God opposes abortion, but it is also true that God revealed himself through Jesus Christ to be compassionate, forgiving, and patient. Similar to the Instagram post, the Pharisees in this text bring forth the Law to condemn the woman who was caught in adultery. In verse 5, the Pharisees bring up the Law before Jesus that this woman was to be stoned for her actions. Jesus, the author of the Law (2 Timothy 3:16-17), responds to the Pharisees' accusations against the woman by taking some time to write in the dirt. John didn’t mention what Jesus was writing, but the point of including this action is to show the patience of Christ. He did not lash out against the woman for her sin, but instead of siding with her accusers, He takes a few moments to write in the dirt. In verse 7, Jesus breaks His silence by telling the crowd of accusers that the one among them who has no sin can be the one to throw the first stone. While it is true that this woman was an adulterer, it is also true that her accusers were sinners, as well. Jesus notes the hypocrisy of the Pharisees' accusations because they too had been unfaithful to God’s Law. In verse 10, after all of the woman’s accusers had left, Jesus asked her who was left to condemn her. He then states in verse 11 that He does not condemn her either, and He tells her to go and leave her life of sin. Jesus is the only One who had the right to condemn the woman. He was the sinless One. He has been given the right to judge (John 5:22). However, Jesus chooses not to condemn the adulterous woman but provides her with great compassion and mercy. It is important to note that Jesus sends the woman out with the command to leave her life of sin. Jesus is compassionate but does not condone sinful behavior. What can we learn from Jesus’ actions in this story? It can be easy to point out sin and accuse people who accept or live sinful lifestyles. My biggest issue with the Instagram post “Jesus Hates Abortion” was not the message it was sending, but how the message was sent. It was accusatory. It did not reflect the heart of Christ revealed to us in Scripture. As the Church, we need to treat the lost in the same manner that Jesus treated the adulterous woman. We need to leave our opinions and accusations at the door and stand beside lost people, in an effort to show them the immeasurable grace that Christ offers those who are far from Him. If the judge of all people chooses not to condemn, then neither should His church condemn those who are lost in thoughts, opinions, and actions of sin. Conclusion More than anything, it has been my own actions that pushed me to write this blog. I have been the self-righteous Christian who posted his divisive opinions on social media about abortion. I was the self-righteous Christian who made sure to note what the Bible says about homosexuality. I was the self-righteous Christian who failed to show others the immeasurable grace of God that is shown to me daily. Through my own mistakes and the ministry of Christ, I learned that loud opinions and accusations are not what draws non-believers to Christ. However, it is His compassion, grace, and patience that draws outsiders to grab the hand that Jesus extends to all people. Jesus stayed at the house of a thief and a traitor. Jesus stood beside and defended an adulterer in the face of accusations from religious people. In our increasingly divided and opinionated American culture, the Church needs to reflect these same actions and spend time serving, seeking, and walking beside those who are lost. In the end, the Body of Christ needs to be known for who we follow, not what we stand for.