The Amazing "Untackleable" Man

This morning in boot camp, a challenge was issued. It all began with the mistelling of a story. As Kathy told the story, she said that Jeremy (a fellow classmate) tackled me to the ground last week. I reminded her that it was untrue because Jeremy had just jumped up onto my back and I continued to run with him piggy-backed on me. I then said something that made everyone laugh and begin commenting. I said, "I'm completely untackleable." Immediately, it seemed like the challenge was on. Jeremy said he wasn't actually trying to tackle me last week, but that if he was, he would have taken me down. Some of the women in the class sided with me while others began mocking my statement. But there was one man who just looked at me, smiled, and said, "Stu, everyone can be tackled. Even Reggie Bush can be tackled" The man who said that is an FBI agent. I dared him to try.

He kept playing it off and saying, "I don't need to do it to prove that I can. Everyone here knows you're full of it. You can be tackled." His wife told me stories of how intense he got in his training at work and that I should be careful because he may hurt me if I continue to taunt him. But I didn't listen. Throughout the entire class, I continued to taunt him. I said, "The only reason you won't try to tackle me is because you know you can't and you don't want to be embarrassed when everyone sees that I was right." He reminded me that he works for the FBI and that antagonizing won't work against him. I wouldn't stop. Finally, it was time to go outside and run. The ground was covered in snow and he kept reminding me, "Stu, the ground is soft here. I could definitely tackle you in this."

At this moment, I saw it in his eyes. He was no longer joking with me. He was sick of my taunting and everyone in the class was pushing him to teach me a lesson. We were running on the snow-covered trail and I saw him get in place behind me to take me down. I turned around to see that he was hunched low, ready to strike at any moment. I turned back around, facing forward to try to pick up some speed to run away from him, but it was too late. He dove toward my legs and took me straight to the ground. But we didn't land on the snow. There were trees overhead, covering the ground, so we hit straight gravel and mud. We both started laughing and at that point, I had to swallow my words. I am, indeed, tackleable.

(This is a picture of me and the FBI Agent who tackled me to the ground. I did have 

a minor victory though. If you look at his shoulder, you can see mud stains. I didn't get any stains.)

But right after, he apologized profusely. He apologized so many times throughout the rest of class and constantly asked if I was alright. But every time, I just replied, "I was asking for it". Of course I was okay, and of course I wasn't angry. I probably would have been upset if he hadn't tackled me. I was constantly picking on him, telling him there was no way he could do it. Finally, he had to show me that he could.

C.S. Lewis in his book Mere Christianity says this, "God, in the end, gives people what they most want, including freedom from Himself. What could be more fair?" People live their entire lives taunting God. They say they don't believe in Him or they hate Him and don't want to be with Him for eternity. In the end, He lets those people have what they keep asking for. Just like me this morning, I kept taunting him and saying that there was no way he could do it. There are people who do the same with God. They taunt Him and say He has no power or they're not afraid of Him. God will eventually show those people what He's made of. But that isn't because God hates those people. No, it's because He loves them. Love cannot be forced. God proves that He loves us by allowing us to walk away from Him if we don't want any part in His plans. If He forced us to stay and treated us like puppets, that wouldn't really be love at all. Just like my friend this morning gave me exactly what I was asking for, God will do the same. 

Final 'lesson' of the day. The most famous Bible verse of all time, John 3:16, says this: “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." (NLT) The piece that says "shall not perish" in Greek is μὴ ἀπόληται which literally translated means, "shall not destroy themselves". See, it's not God who does the destroying. It's God who allows you to walk away. Why? Because He loves you enough to let you leave if that's what you want. 

In the end, God will give you what you want. Eternity with or without Him. I hope you choose wisely.

 “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son." (John 3:16-18 NLT)

Workout:
Boot camp

Till next time, 
Ειρήνη και πολλή αγάπη
(Peace and much love)