To whom much is given...

It's been a while since my last post and I have only to say that I just haven't made the time to sit down and write out my post. However, this is something that I have been brewing over for the last couple weeks now. I had only further confirmation of this subject when, in passing conversations the same phrase or subject was mentioned, and I am excited to share it with you. It's funny because the initial thought to post came when I was watching the film Spiderman on TV one night. It is the part when Peter (just after he has been inadvertently inoculated with spider venom) is in the car with his uncle and Peter is acting like a typical "I'm too cool for you" teenager while his uncle is trying to reach out to Peter and let him know that everyone goes through the stuff that Peter is going through: growing up, discovering new feelings and emotions etc. But what stuck out to me was right before Peter gets out of the car. His uncle says something to the effect of: "With great power, comes great responsibility." What a loaded statement.

Now I look at this phrase from a personal level all the way to a macrocosmic level (well maybe not that broad, but maybe a national level.) I'll start personally and then grow from there. For the sake of length, I'll only go back to my freshman year of college, although I have other examples much earlier in my life where this path can follow. I chose to go to the University of Portland in Oregon for a few different reasons. One, it was a smaller school, classes averaging 15 or so students, 3000 students in all. Two, I loved the city (artsy, laid back, colorful, full of life). In addition, I was very interested in the soccer programs of the schools I was looking to attend, because that was and still is a huge part of my life, and Portland was one of the top schools for soccer in the nation. There were a number of schools that had some of these qualities, but none except for Portland had one very key element not mentioned: Clive. Clive Charles was the head coach at UP for both the men's and women's soccer programs for over a decade before he passed away from prostate cancer right before I started my junior year. Clive hooked me right away, he was an Englishman with a knowledge about life and the game I loved that was comparable to no one. He was an amazing coach with a fatherly way about him that instantly commanded respect and trust from all of his players.

The reason I speak of Clive is that he taught me so much about so much. He wasn't just my soccer coach, he was a life coach. The knowledge that I gained from the two years that I knew him, I never want to forget, and never should. I have been given a responsibility to carry on the knowledge that he imparted unto me because I feel that that would be only fair to him and to others. I try to live my life in such a way that integrates Clive's life lessons into my every day experience. I think most of the guys and girls who played under Clive feel the same way as I do; and whether carrying on his legacy is through taking on the responsibility of coaching soccer or translating them into various other vocations, it is something I think we all will strive to do for the rest of our lives. I know I will. It's my responsibility.

I think the reason I feel so strongly about carrying on Clive's legacy, is that there is someone who came to this earth long before Clive who taught us all a lesson on responsibility. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus said to those who were listening, "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?" Christ, even though he did not want to, was entrusted with the hugest responsibility anyone will ever have- being crucified on a cross for crimes he did not commit in order to save a fallen world. He was given a choice, as we all do, to follow his father's instructions, or take advantage of the power that was available to him. To whom much is given, much is expected. I have been entrusted with the responsibility to live my life as unto the Lord in every possible facet because of what Christ did for me. Therefore, not only as an individual, but as Christians in general, we must take on the responsibility of being a light in a dark world because we have knowledge of a great power that holds us and guides us and knows all our actions.

Finally, as Americans, we have great power because of our freedoms we received from those who have come before us, and those who fight for it at present. This power allows our nation to influence any and all regions of this planet if we so choose. But that's just it. It is a choice. We, as a nation, can choose; as an individual, I can choose. Much has been given to us, therefore, much is expected in return. Will we rise to the challenge?