Just Do It.

 

It is bettah, to have done it backwards, than nevah to have done it atall.   Please excuse the misspellings in that sentence, but I was attempting to add in the Vermont accent with which the person I quoted, said those words.  Francis Coburn, once a professor at the University of Vermont turned comedian, told a whimsical story about himself running for a seat as a judge in a small town of Vermont.  The story enfolds something like this: 

Francis used to ride an “English” bicycle through the small town (an English bicycle has no foot brakes like most bikes of today), and as he was pedaling (he said this word with a long ‘e’!) he would get going fast enough where occasionally he would “pedal backwards whilst coasting forwards”.  “It gave those folks quite a start”, he quipped.  Once his opponent in the election confronted him during a debate leading up to the election, and said that he (Francis) seemed to be pedaling (long ‘e’ again) backwards most of the time. That is when Francis uttered those words I wrote above, and I have used them many times in my careers to tell my subordinates and friends that “It is bettah, to have done it backwards, than nevah to have done it atall.”

Now, the meaning of that phrase is similar to the title of this short lesson, Just Do It.  I have repeatedly told folks working for me that it is okay to make mistakes, but it is not okay to just sit around and do nothing, afraid to make any errors.

 

I believe this same advice, both Just Do It, and Francis Coburn’s quip, is applicable to us as Disciples of Jesus.  We all know our command from Jesus about ‘go make Disciples’.  (Peter also reiterates this as recorded by Luke in Acts 10:42.) We have all made mistakes in the past, and will probably continue to do that as well, when going about this task.  We have invited people to church for them to see ‘the great preaching’, or to see ‘the great fellowship’, or to hear the ‘great singing’.  All well-intentioned practices, although we SHOULD be inviting people to church TO WORSHIP GOD. 

 

Our evangelism, on the whole, stinks, and I think all of you know this.  There may be some who are doing just great at it, but I don’t know them.  I am not sure if it is because we are afraid, ashamed or just plain lazy, but I do know that our church is not growing.

 

I would like to simply pass on those two pieces of advice to everyone reading this.  It makes no difference if you make mistakes.  It makes no difference if you just plain invite people to church for those ‘wrong’ reasons I mentioned above.  It makes no difference.  We all know we are to plant the seed so God can make it grow.  If we do nothing, nothing grows---neither us, nor the church. We do not have to be wise Biblical scholars to tell others about the love of Christ.  Paul wrote this to the disciples in Corinth: “For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.” (1^st Cor 1:21)

 

We can preach foolishness, evangelize foolishly and even invite people to church for ‘wrong’ reasons or by using ‘incorrect’ techniques.  Because as Paul said: “But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached.” (Phil 1:18)  

 

So I say, Just Do It.  Get out of yourself and talk about Jesus.  Yes, you may “peedal backwards”, but it doesn’t matter….you will still be “coasting forwards”.

 

Mac