Sanctification Tool: The Rubber Band

Last week some of our TSC staff team went to our annual ministry training meeting in Des Moines.

On the way down I gave the "rubber band" motivational speech. It goes like this...

"In 2002 I went to a conference with Troy Nesbitt. Our friend Jeff Dart happened to be at the conference. I usually would speak for myself, but I'll speak for both of us (Troy and me)- Dart is more like Jesus than us. We sit down at the first session and Troy notices Dart wearing a rubber band on his wrist...

Troy: What's that for?

Dart: Nothing, really.

Troy: You're lying. What is it?

Dart [long pause]: Well, it's a reminder to be teachable and not critical of this conference.

Troy: Oh.

It doesn't take long for Troy to come up with great ways to mock people. So we immediately made a trip to the store, where Troy bought a whole bag of rubber bands. Before the next session, Troy must've put 100 rubber bands on his arm- covering not only his wrist but his whole forearm. It was hilarious.

We did end up keeping one rubber band on our wrists, but the rubber bands merely turned into a weapon to snap each other when we made critical comments.

It's easier to be critical than teachable.

So I was left staring at the rubber band on one wrist, thinking, "Why did I have to give the rubber band speech?!!!!"

...And a watch on the other, "Only 2:09! You can do it, Mark."

Stuff you see in a baptist office...
A boom box from 1982. Apparently the CD hadn't been invented yet when this dude came into existence.

On a serious note.

I was doing my best to be teachable, while still retaining enough pride to make Nebuchadnezzar look humble, when to my shame these men leading this seminar began to serve me. 

One pulled me aside and said, "Mark, whatever you need, let me know, and I'll make sure you get it." He went on to talk about how TSC is the most amazing college ministry he's seen. This guy oversees a lot of campus ministries and has seen a lot in his day. Another of the leaders told me, "Mark, we are not the gifted ones like you guys in ministry. Let us deal with the bureaucracy and paperwork so you don't have to. We are here to serve you."

Woa.

I was (and still am) ashamed about my critical and proud spirit. The rubber band reminds me that by God's grace I will become a humble and teachable man someday.