Blind Faith

One-third of the way through the season, you may be experiencing
some fatigue with your resolve to give something up for Lent. Depriving
yourself of something for the 40 days of Lent is intended to remind us of
the sacrifice Jesus made in order to bring us his gift of life. It is a
noble spiritual practice, but many people who begin Lent with a
well-motivated self denial may tire of the inconvenience of altering their
habits and succumb to temptations to indulge.

If you are having trouble giving something up for Lent, why don’t
you try adding something instead. The following Blind Faith devotional
originally appeared May 8, 2008. The suggested positive practice of
ferreting out God’s kind of goodness and celebrating life with those who
seek to live God’s way can be a means of reflecting on the life and ministry
of Jesus during the days approaching his crucifixion. Actually, being a
“Gotcha!” follower of Jesus is a good habit to add during Lent and to
cultivate year-round

:
Gotcha! Although the expression is considered a “relaxed”
alteration of “I’ve got you,” it always startles me a bit. “Uh, oh! What
did I do now?” is the usual visceral response. Maybe it’s my guilty
conscience reacting, sure that I’ve been caught in some misconduct. But
“Gotcha!” doesn’t indicate only getting nabbed doing something shady. It
simply means that you have been caught or discovered unexpectedly,
regardless of the good or bad nature of the deeds.

“Gotcha!” makes us flinch, though, because we more often associate
it with being found out doing something bad. The FBI posts a Gotcha! Page
on their website (www.fbi.gov) that tells about FBI and local law
enforcement closing the case on a nefarious criminal. “Gotcha journalism”
revels in catching politicians or unsuspecting citizens in a slip of the
tongue, an inconsistent statement caught on tape, or being in the wrong
place at the wrong time. A software company offers Gotcha!, a video
surveillance program for home and office applications for download from
their website, www.gotchanow.com. The program is sold primarily to catch
people in the act of violating the user’s security or stealing the user’s
computer or other items. The program will send alerts and video of the
perpetrators red-handed. But the program also touts its use to avoid
getting tripped up in a “gotcha!” moment, yourself. The website suggests,
“Dying to play that video game, but you’re at work? Use GOTCHA! to look over
your shoulder for you. GOTCHA! will minimize your game and activate your
work application in a second.” Boss getting suspicious, about to spring a
“Gotcha!” on you? Maybe not, with your own Gotcha! Software!

Not all “Gotcha!” moments involve bad behavior, though. The Gotcha!
Software website also promotes a creative educational use: “Need a science
experiment for your kid? Have GOTCHA! record the minute movements of a
butterfly emerging from its cocoon or a seedling sprouting from the dirt by
using GOTCHA!’s Dynamic Profile mode of recording.” What a wondrous
“Gotcha!” experience for a child – or anyone – to capture! Others have
recognized the positive possibilities of catching people in the act of doing
something good. A college in Utah invites its staff to turn in reports to
the personnel office on fellow staffers caught doing well what they were
supposed to be doing, and more. The Gotcha! form solicits the following
information: “‘Gotcha!’ I caught __________ going the extra mile! The good
deed was: __________ Thank you for being a good example and employee!” A
middle school in Ohio publishes photos of students over the caption,
“Gotcha! Caught you being good!” The school principal is the clandestine
photographer, always on the lookout for students doing the right thing.

These two aspects of “Gotcha!” can be found in a couple of
interesting Bible verses, ones that should make us tread on tiptoes for very
different reasons. One of them is a cautionary word, drawing out our fear
of getting caught as we slip up or run afoul of the rules: ” Be
self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring
lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8 NIV) Guess who inspires
all the dread and guilt that crashes over us when we are found out doing
something we should not have done? Peter’s counsel is for us to avoid
wrong-doing, and thus to steer clear of the Devil and his evil ways. In our
most honest moments with ourselves, though, we agree with Paul’s confession,
that, ” I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do,
but what I hate I do…. {19} For what I do is not the good I want to do;
no, the evil I do not want to do–this I keep on doing.” (Romans 7:15, 19
NIV) Paul reiterates that such wrong-doing (sin) leads to our death before
God. In the “Gotcha!” discoveries we connive to avoid, we find ourselves
pounced upon and devoured as the consequence of our actions against God,
ourselves, and others. Ironically, we often take sordid delight in seeing
another person snared as the victim of a deserved “Gotcha!” We take
perverse pleasure when someone else is unexpectedly nailed, just glad it’s
not us!

God’s “Gotcha!” offers a more pleasing surprise. Too often, we
assume that God is lurking behind every bush, ready to startle us with a
condemning “Gotcha!” when we falter. Too many folks claiming to be God’s
emissaries crouch, ready to pounce on God’s behalf. But God works the other
side of the meaning of “Gotcha!”, focusing on finding us doing what is right
and good” ” The Lord’s eyes scan the whole world to find those whose hearts
are committed to him and to strengthen them.” (2 Chronicles 16:9 GWT) God
does not delight in collaring us in the wrong, but rejoices in our doing
what is right (see 1 Corinthians 13:6). When we are caught in the act of
loving someone the way Jesus loves them, doing for someone what Jesus would
do, and living the way Jesus leads us to live, God’s “Gotcha!” increases our
strength for continuing to live that way. When we simply follow Jesus,
doing what we know the Bible and God’s Holy Spirit instruct us to do, we may
be pleasantly surprised by God’s “Atta’ boy! Or God’s “Go, girl!”

Which side of “Gotcha!” are you living on this week? Are you afraid
that you will finally be found out at your rotten habit? Persisting on that
path extracts a heavy toll in looking over your shoulder, trying to avoid
detection, and in a constant burden of guilt. “Gotcha!” is the last thing
you want to hear. Living in step with God’s grace, however, brings the
approving smile of God, along with the reserves of strength of the Creator
of all the universe. God’s “Gotcha!” might come in sudden delight at the
sight of a flower, or the breathtaking panorama of a sunset, or the coo of
an infant, or any experience of any of God’s masterpieces.

This week, practice doing what Jesus would do, so that you can be
caught doing good wherever you are. Look for opportunities to spot other
followers of Jesus doing the good they are called and equipped to do by
God’s Spirit. Make a godly “Gotcha!” a cause for celebration of being found
doing what is right and good.

J. Edward Culpepper

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