So I was watching Vision Quest (a wrestling movie from the 80s - go figure) and I could have sworn that a young Shawn Michaels was one of Loudon's teammates. Doubt it was him though. Although, when he debuted with AWA in 1984, young Michael Shawn Hickenbottom was a mere 19. He could have been in the movie. IMDB is silent, as is Wikipedia. So it couldn't be true, right?
Anyway, Vision Quest is what you might call a niche movie. If you don't like wrestling (the real sport) then you probably wouldn't like Vision Quest. But amidst all the weirdness of that movie (not appropriate for kids, btw) there is a lesson to be learned. Actually, if you had a wrestling coach worth his coaching stipend he should have taught you this same lesson.
What lesson?
Redemptive suffering and the value of sacrifice.
What does it cost to be on the wrestling team? Not much. If you show up for practice you're on the team. But is it enough to merely be part of the squad?
What does it cost to be a starter - a varsity wrestler? It costs you something. You have to be able to beat anyone else trying for the varsity spot at your weight. That means learning the moves, practicing, and being good enough to beat your teammate. At some schools that feat is pretty difficult. But is enough to merely represent your school?
What does it cost to have a winning record? It costs a bit more. You have to be more careful about the fuel you put into your body. You have to maximize your time in practice to perfect your moves. You have to study your opponents and learn to exploit their weaknesses. But is it enough to have more wins than losses?
What does it cost to win a regional title? You have to be better than the 15-30 guys from the schools in your region. You have to be more careful about your diet. No wasted calories and no cheap weight loss tricks (that will get you killed in more ways than one). You have to train harder than pretty much everybody else on your team. Less dating and more training. But is it enough to have that regional title?
What about winning a state title? What about wrestling in college? What about an olympic medal? The stakes and required sacrifices increase with each level. It takes determination, discipline, and self-mastery. Your everything must be focused on the goal and that must direct everything you do. Everything else falls into place to align with the goal. There is no coasting and no letting up. But if the goal is good it is worth all the sacrifice.
What is our goal? Perfection. "Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect." Holiness is a requirement to enter the kingdom (Hebrews 12:14). And we know that holiness is not just a word. It is a reality that we all need. Perfection in holiness can only come by living in the light of Christ and his grace. He will give us all we need - the training, the guidance, the ability, the steps to take, and most of all, the POWER - to get there, but we must pursue it. We must receive this free gift. It costs us something. It costs us our very lives.
Our heart, our treasure, our desire is to be Him and Him alone. That takes training. It can't be feelings. It can't be mere external piety. It has to be a growing relationship that takes precedence over EVERY facet of our lives. It has to probe us to the very core of our being and force us daily to reexamine our lives and retool in order to abide in the plan. Here's the best part though. It is doable. Jesus calls us to something we can attain. Many on the last day will be saying "Lord! Lord!", but we know that the path is narrow that leads to eternal life. May we stay on the right path, walking with and growing in Christ, abandoning every encumbrance and bring as many people along with us as we can.
