Feel like a chump?

 Michael Sprague

DO YOU EVER FEEL LIKE A CHUMP?         

A while back a friend confessed to feeling like a spiritual chump. That’s right … a chump! What’s a chump? It’s when it seems bad things always happen to good people and good things happen to bad people. It’s when you play by the rules, don’t cut corners, mind your own business and get ridiculed for it and lose out on things like promotions, popularity and benefits. It’s when you don’t cheat on the test and you come home with “C-“ and the cheaters get an “A”. It is when you are sick and tired of the darkness of the culture and want to give up or just SCREAM but others say that you are the problem. Have you ever wondered, “What is the advantage of being a follower of Jesus?” I have. 

When I have these thoughts or my friends do, I say turn to Psalm 73. The psalmist frankly confesses these raw feelings that rip at his soul. Why is God seemingly blessing the ungodly? Why do those who honor God not fare so well? Why do mean people prosper despite their pride? Why does their popularity skyrocket? The psalmist walks the walk but is left with multiple headaches. He wonders, “Does it pay to be righteous?” He is confused, tempted, and discouraged. Have you been there? Are you there today?

Interesting observation: Go through the Psalmist’s gripe session in verses 4-12 and circle the pronouns. 14 times you find the words they, they, them, they, etc. A FOCUS ON OTHERS WILL LEAVE US DISTRESSED. Now go through verses 13-17 and circle the pronouns. 10 times you find the pronouns I, my, me, me, me, me, etc. A FOCUS ON OURSELVES LEAVES US DISAPPOINTED.

The turning point comes in verse 17 when he enters the sanctuary of the Lord and sees life from God’s perspective. His view of the world gets flipped upside down.

Observe the pronoun shift in verses 18-28. The 11 pronouns are all focused on God; You, You, You, You, etc. A FOCUS ON GOD LEAVES US NOT DEPRESSED OR DISAPPOINTED BUT LEAVES US DELIGHTED. Our main focus is not to be on politics, FOX, CNN, elections, Hollywood, finances, DC, CDC, or even outcomes. Our focus is to be on Jesus Christ. 

The Psalmist realizes that disobedience doesn’t pay in this life or the next. He perceived that the ungodly live on slippery places. They are always looking over their shoulder. Always one step from being found out. The guilty conscience, lack of joy and peace is not worth it.  He can’t imagine living with the prospect of eternity apart from God.

He reassures his own heart with the reality of God’s PRESENCE, POWER and PATH. He is overwhelmed with his eternal rewards that are coming. He can only break into PRAISE with these words, “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart.”

Did his situation change? No. The psalmist’s perspective changed. Obedience leads to blessedness and disobedience leads to brokenness. 

Maybe, it’s not so bad being a spiritual chump!