Forest Lake Talks

Weekly Devotional from Ed Black

Text: Ephesians 4:29-32  Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear.  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice,  and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.

Devotional: Do you watch Saturday Night Live? If so, did you catch it a couple of weeks ago? Jason Sudeikis, the lead actor for the television show, Ted Lasso, was the guest host in late October.

If you don't already watch it, just know that Ted Lasso is a big deal in the television world. It can be hard to keep up with movie, television, and music award shows, but the show was nominated for 20 Emmys and won 7. The Emmy Awards are the most prestigious awards given to a television show, its people, and its "behind the scenes" components.

Ted Lasso's large amount of fans were not surprised by its award nominations, but Sudeikis expressed his surprise in a "comical" way during his recent SNL monologue. He said, "It's truly shocking to me because it's built around two things Americans hate: soccer and kindness.”

Americans have long preferred our version of "football," but what are our thoughts on kindness? I don't think Sudeikis or any honest American truly think we "hate" kindness, but it's hard to wonder at times. Our culture appears to thrive on negative news, gossip, finger pointing, and getting ahead however possible.

Would Sudeikis have said the same in a monologue twenty years ago? Thirty? Forty? I don't know, but it does seem like society is filled with tension and unrest.

Sudeikis said one more relevant thing. He walked around the stage and said, "This place changed my life, twice — once as a cast member and a writer here,” he said. “But most importantly, as a kid watching from home. And there’s a good chance that if you’re watching tonight, there’s probably something from this place that probably changed your life, too.”

When I think of something that can be "life changing" for both children and adults, I think of the church. And while we can't teach you to love soccer at Forest Lake, we can all teach other how to be disciples of Christ. Being a disciple of Christ is "life changing," and if we accept the full job description of being disciple of Christ, I am confident that our actions, our words, will truly reflect the kindness that is desperately needed around the world.

May we see Christ in others, and may they see Christ in us.

Prayer: Dear God, Fill us with your Spirit this day and beyond. Grant us the strength, compassion, and self-control needed to reflect your love for all with whom we interact this week and beyond. Amen.