“Anything is Possible!!!”

One of my favorite video highlights of this last year has Kevin Garnett screaming after he wins his first NBA Championship, “Anything is Possibleeeeeeeeeeee!” I just love the sheer passion of KG at that moment. Some conspiracy theorists suggest he was trying to say, “Impossible is Nothing” which is the slogan for his sponsor Adidas. But I find this comment absurdly ridiculous as well.

If you were 7 foot, one of the most gifted basketball players in the world, teamed up with two other All-Stars on the best franchise in the NBA, I don’t think winning an NBA title accounts for doing the “impossible.” On the other hand if you were 5′5, Asian-American, on the wrong side of 30 and led your very mediocre team to an NBA title, then I think you can safely say, “Anything is Possssssibleeeeee!” That would truly be doing the impossible.

Sometimes people misquote 4:13, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” This for instance doesn’t mean that if you have faith you can win an NBA Championship. It doesn’t mean you can be whatever you dream of. All of us have certain physical and intellectual limitations. The context of this verse in Philippians is Paul’s ministry to the church. He says in the previous verse, “I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.” Paul is saying that he can face any circumstance with abundant joy and contentment.

Another way to look at it is this: God’s grace doesn’t help me to fulfill my personal dreams but God’s Kingdom dreams. We should have an “Anything is Possible” approach to growing God’s kingdom, reaching the lost, ending poverty not getting my promotion, losing weight and growing wealthy.

But to return to basketball, I’m hoping my Golden State Warriors will win the NBA title in the next few years. Anything is possible!

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Childishness

I was running in the evening in downtown and I came upon this huge Haloween display in a coporate building. It struck me as odd because I’ve always associated Haloween with children. But it seems that more and more Haloween has become an adult affair. I’ve read that alot of companies have chosen to move thier main winter celebration from Christmas to Haloween. A costume party is more neutral (and fun!) than a winter religious celebration. There are now huge stores dedicated to costumes for these Haloween parties. I think this follows a larger cultural trend of adults reverting to childlike behavior.

Think about the rise of Las Vegas. I can’t think of a more poular destination right now than Vegas. Every seeming batheclor party has its great destination there. But what is Vegas? It’s Disneyland for adults. It’s a place where you routinely walk by Elvis as you go to play games by plastic Roman colliseum pillars. Vegas is geared to be a fantasy world where you let your inner child roam free for a weekend. And the mantra “whatever happens in Vegas” also typifies the great pastime of children: keeping secrets.

But should all of this bother us? Yes and No. Play is serious business after all. We’re not called as Christians to be stiff, unemotional “adults”. Jesus seemed to have loved parties. He was first found getting the party started again when the wine ran dry at a wedding feast. He always seemed to show up at all kinds of celebrations and banquets. Jesus wasn’t a kill-joy. Christians should have the best parties because we have the most to celebrate. But there is one fundamental difference with us. Jesus says we should become like children (Matthew 18:3). But in saying that he had something different in mind than what we normally would consider childish. Where we associate childishness with immaturity and recklessness, Jesus is pointed us toward child-like wonder, dependence and purity.

We are to be child-like without being childish. But as I think about this it seems like a delicate balance. Like saying we are to be wise fools. That’s all a part of what it means to be cross-cultured I guess.

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