The Rubber Band Lesson

I heard about a pastor who had all the ushers hand out rubber bands one Sunday morning before the church service. Some people asked what they were for and the ushers simply responded that the pastor asked them to be handed out. That morning the pastor spoke on the dangers of being comfortable with the status quo and the need for growth in one’s personal life as well as growth in the church. As he concluded his message he called attention to the rubber bands that they had been given. He asked for people to share the various uses of a rubber band. As the people gave various examples one clear conclusion began to emerge: Rubber bands are only useful when they are stretched. That is true of people as well.

The Bible is full of examples of people who were stretch by God to do things they never imagined themselves doing. Abram was told to leave the comforts of home and family and go to a land he had not yet seen. Moses was led by God to return to Egypt to face the Pharaoh and lead the people of Israel out of slavery. Peter, James and John were stretched when Jesus called them to leave their fishing nets to follow Him. Even the Apostle Paul was constantly striving to “press toward the mark” knowing he always had room to grow and develop into the man God wanted him to be.

Many people do not want to stretch. They are happy to be in the relaxed, non-useful positions of life. They like the course of least resistance. I read recently that 42% of college graduates never read another book after graduation. That seems to be an amazing lack of motivation toward personal growth. I can’t imagine going to a surgeon who had such a lack of interest in the latest procedures and methods. The big problem with not stretching and growing is that it leads to real dissatisfaction in life. Some of the unhappiest people in the world are those who have settled for being less than God created them to be. I think the same is true for churches and other Christian ministries.

Growth stops when we lose the tension between where we are and where we could be. If we have no intention of be better tomorrow than we were today, then why do we need tomorrow? In athletics, an entire team is benefited when an individual team member gets stronger and more skilled. The same is true for a church. As each teacher grows and becomes an even better teacher, it benefits the entire church and the cause of Christ. When a church loses its zeal to reach and disciple more people, it is doomed for an eventual death and it loses its usefulness to the Lord.

Stretching always requires risk and change. Growth does not occur by staying in your comfort zone. Joshua would have never led the people into the Promised Land if he was satisfied living east of the Jordan River. David would have never become king if he had been content playing his harp on the hillside with a few dozen sheep. First Baptist would not exist today if its founders were comfortable with a handful of people meeting in the town hall building and one adult Sunday School class.

Henry Blackaby said, “You cannot stay where you are and go with God.” God is always leading us forward and upward. If we are coasting downhill, we can be sure we are going the wrong direction and we have stopped following God’s dreams to pursue something else. It’s a little risky to go out on a limb, but that is where the best fruit is. So keep on stretching!