QUIZZING STRUGGLES chapter 252

I have always had quizzers who thought quizzing would be fun. I was, but it was also a lot of work. I somewhat viewed to program as an outlet the studious kid. You needed somewhat of a love for study to do well in the program.

I never minded the quizzers coming along for the fun of the program. I believed there was always some spiritual benefit and I loved them for sticking with it. On the other size, keeping quizzers motivated was why I developed so many games for practices. Simply quizzing only at a practice was very hard on the bottom ranked quizzers. So turning it around in as many ways as possible kept them interested. I included every game I every created and ones from other coached in the Coaches Manual I wrote for the C&MA in 1974. I haven’t a clue what even one of them was any more. I doubt there are even any copies of the manual around. I was shocked to realize I had a copy of my thesis. I had to get rid of so many things every time I downsized. The next move will have me living in a cardboard box.

I greatly struggled with kids in the program who never made a connection is Christ. There weren’t very many. If the interest in knowing God and getting deeper into a walk with Him wasn’t there, most left the program fairly quickly. There was one however, who gave me pause. I did not believe one could or would ever become a top quizzer while rejecting Christianity and knowing the savior. I didn’t really know what to do. I confess I really did not want him representing our district at top-level competitions. There were no rules that said you had to be a believer. If anything I always believed if one stuck with the program for a whole year they could come to know Christ.

The boy was never antagonistic, not did he demonstrate a rejection of faith in quizzes, but you ran into it in personal or small group conversations. Sometimes his actions would be embarrassing. I could not understand what was happening and why God had not changed his heart. Believe me, I prayed for that often.

I tried to keep track of him from time to time and each piece of news I would get did not bring news of a transformed life. I did reach a point where I accepted that he was in Gods hands and that I may never know what was going on in his heart, nor did I know, nor would I likely know the end result of God’s work. I choose to believe in the power of the word of God to transform a life at anytime.

Not every quizzer has or will remain faithful to Christ. I know that. It was his position that was a concern. I would a great deal with recovering addict at this point in my life. In fact, the writing project I have undertaken is the life story of a woman who has touched the lives of thousands and continues to this day. Her own story is one of a redeemed shipwreck. I understand better the ebb and low of relapse and recovery. As I reflect on my own life and the lives of most believers, we are not much different from the men and women I now see every week. Their uses are in the open for all to see. Many of us good church going people do a much better job of hiding the ups and downs of our walk with God.

I like, everyone I know, have had the ebb and flow of a strong to weak and maybe even non-existent walk with God. That is why I love the life of King David – the man after God’s own heart.  What a terrific God believing and God following youth he was. Maybe it was power that went to his head, or maybe it was simply the sinful and lustful natural of man that took over, but he not only committed adultery, he had a man murdered to cover it up. Then, by the grace of God he is restored to a wonderful and positive walk with God. Later, one son rapes one of his daughters – maybe a problem of multiple wives and the lust of life. But the law requires that Amnon be stoned. He does not do it. He puts it off and tries to let it slide under the carpet. However, his daughter’s birth brother does not forget and begins to hate his father David for not doing what was right. Absalom plans his revenge and punishes his father for his lack for his lack of obedience. He attempts to overthrow the kingdom of David.

This is only two of possibly many ups and downs in David’s life with God. He is on track, he falls away, he is on track, and he falls away. Maybe in a more drastic way that most, but he was not a straight arrow always going higher and higher in his walk with God. And this we know, but reading the Psalms, David’s thoughts on life. Only God knows and we do not know whom he will choose to build His kingdom or at what point in their life he will call them out.