Are You A Feeler, Or A Spotter?

I recently attended a church sermon where the pastor described the different form of gymnasts on the vault. The simplistic description of these two forms of Gymnasts not only makes me think of CrossFit, but how we engage the beauty of life as well.

Imagine, all eyes on you as you enter your runway. A chance for the Gold. The Silver. Maybe the Bronze. Maybe the perfect "10". Maybe a broken ankle. Can you feel your eyes focus as you see the vault you are going to attack. Can you feel your blood run hot, your knuckles turn white. The sound leave. Can you feel it....that's life.

All of the sudden everything leaves as you take your first step. A wondrous release. All the fear must be gone. All the doubt must leave. All the eyes must disappear. Its you, the runway to the vault, to the jump, to the land, to the applause.

Both a spotter and a feeler approach the target in the same manner. The difference is the spotter chooses to keep their eyes open as they turn in mid-air. They orientate using their eyes and keep constant visual cues in check. Conversely after a feeler leaps, they close their eyes. They memorize the necessary movement rotation speed and essential blindly feel their way throughout the air igniting their yes once they need be done, if they were right, success, if not, collision.

You can't get farther from each other. Eyes open and eyes closed are two simple variables that lie eons apart from each other. Its unimaginable the difference. But the best thing is, a "Perfect Ten" can occur to both. Regardless if you fear the floor, and you turn with your eyes closed, or if your faith is just enough to jump with eyes wide open.

The end is the same, and so was the path. Both had to do the single most important thing many of us miss everyday. They had to look down the same runway. And they both had to run and vault.

Its guaranteed that weather your a spotter or a feeler that you have fallen. That you have failed. That you have turned the potential Gold to dust, in an instant. But at least you ran. At least you vaulted. And If your willing to run again and vault, eyes open or eyes shut, one day you will get that medal.

Who hopes for what they already have?

I find myself continually confronted by the concept of pain and suffering. I also find myself continually drawn to these Verses found in Romans 8:

¹⁸ I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. ¹⁹ For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. ²⁰ For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope ²¹ that^[h] the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.