Passion vs. Passive

These two words only have 2 letters different, but they are game changers for how we live and how we engage with other people. As a husband, father, teacher, and coach, I have always been a huge sports fan. Not because I love all the games, but because I love the passion players and coaches put into doing their best to win their games.

What draws me in to watch is the preparation, sweat, grind, and grit – in both the season and the offseason – to overcome tough obstacles and push through. I love rooting for the underdog to pull off the upset. I love watching game 7 of the playoffs of any sport, where everything is on the table. You see the player’s passion and the team’s love for each other come out.

There are so many examples of this in the Bible. David goes from zero to hero when he slays the giant. Some others are Samson, Daniel, Noah, Moses, the prodigal son, Paul, Timothy, and especially Jesus! All of these men, besides Jesus, had flaws, but they overcame them with passion, faith, and obedience to God.

Just like those men in the Bible, this passion can also translate into our families.  Men as husbands, as spiritual leaders, are you pursuing your wives with passion, or are you being passive with that relationship? Are you just mailing it in and co-existing in a passive way, or are you scheduling regular date nights and listening, really listening to your wife and engaging in the conversation?  

Men as fathers, are you passionately engaging with your kids and helping with the tough things that go into parenting, or are you being passive and letting your wife do all of the work and raise the kids? Passion as a dad means scheduling 1-on-1 time and really listening and speaking life into your kids. As a teacher for 30 years, it was very obvious to see the students whose parents were being intentional and pouring into their kids. Their emotional health was strong, and their love tank was full, so they had the ability to pour into others and not just focus on themselves. As we are filled with the love of Christ for us in the gospel, we pour that same love out to others. 

Men as workers, are you portraying Christ with passion in the workplace? You can do that with your work ethic, your integrity, and most of all, how you treat other people. Those 3 things will point people to Christ in a positive way and help you to be a great servant-leader at work. If your faith is passive at work, then it is easy to get selfish and disgruntled and, frankly, be miserable at work and tough to be around at work for others. This is definitely not painting a good picture of Christianity if you are cutting corners, stealing, and treating others poorly. 

Lastly, pursuing your relationship with Christ with passion matters. God loves us and longs for us to have a great relationship with him and live in His design. If we are passionate about reading God’s Word and praying to God and worshiping Jesus, then it is easier to be obedient and live in that design for our life. Living with passion for Jesus can ignite a flame in our home, workplace, or on the field that people will see and want to be part of. That passion will lead to impacting the people around you. Your passion towards Christ will both encourage other believers and point non-believers to Christ by showing them how amazing life is with Jesus.

The opposite is true if we are passive in our faith. If we are not in His Word, or praying, or worshiping Him, then it always becomes more difficult to be obedient and see God’s plan for our lives. This will lead to doubt in our own lives and confusion about what God’s will is. In 2 Timothy 1:7, Paul says that God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord. God wants us to be passionate about Him and His Word.

So my charge to you is this: Jesus passionately lived and died for you, so live for Jesus with passion and vigor and impact the people like it's game 7 every day. Let’s make heaven crowded.