You can’t win if you don’t play the game and you can’t play the game unless you buy-in. In fact, you can lose everything when you don’t buy-in.
In poker, a buy-in is an up-front commitment and determines the prize to be won. On a sports team the players buy-in to a game plan and the coach. Put simply, a buy-in is your acceptance of and willingness to actively support and participate in something. If you buy-in to something, you commit and don’t quit. To buy-in, you’ve gotta have faith in something other than yourself. When faith falters the quake is felt around the world.
‘ “The rise of the nones” is the attention-grabbing phrase used to describe the well-documented increase in the percentage of Americans who, when queried by survey researchers about their religious identification, say “none”.’ (Rise of the Nones.) The ‘nones’ represent a loss of faith that manifests and is dividing our world. This decline and loss of faith lies at the root of many societal, financial, political, religious, and relational problems we face across the globe.
Faith isn’t hope. Faith is complete trust and confidence. Faith is a buy-in and a needed component to solve problems and change things. Jesus was confronted by two blind men who went to Him to change their real world problems. He first checked to see if they were really buying-in to Him or just kicking the tires. Once He saw they had real faith, He asked them, ‘ “Do you believe I am able to do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they replied. Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you”; and their sight was restored.’ Matthew 9:28-30. What happens on earth is relative to your faith.
Faith is under attack because of the power that comes from it. Brexit and the current divisions between Democrats and Republicans reflect a lack of faith in the electoral process, elected officials and the people who cast votes. The ‘nones’ show a loss of faith resulting from church scandals (Catholic and Protestant) and the tearing down of denominations (from Presbyterian to Methodist…The Art of Holiness) Negative interest rates in Europe and the coming monetary reset are the result of bankers that have lost faith in traditional monetary policies. When faith is under attack you can see it everywhere but it originates in one place.
Many issues we currently face result from the loss of a buy-in and faith in the Judeo-Christian God of creation. The resulting everyday conflicts are at the root of the war to separate people from a faith in God. Why is this so deep and prevalent yet not easily seen? Because ‘faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.’ Hebrews 11:1. LSU and Clemson didn’t physically see the championship game when they started practice in the spring, but they still bought-in to their ability to get there.
If your faith is challenged on a daily basis with everyday situations, the result can be a weakened faith. A weak faith undermines your relationship with God because ‘…without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.’ Hebrews 11:6. Faith is essential in obtaining God’s favor and necessary for us to pursue a relationship with Him.
The good news is, even when weakened you only need a little faith. Christ said, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’, and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20. Do you buy-in with the faith that God will take care of the political mess…your relational issues…anger and division between races and classes?
If we want to see things change in 2020 don’t look to a politician, protest, post or blog. Christ spelled it out. ‘ “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain ‘Go throw yourself into the sea’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” ‘ Mark 11:22-24. Almost sounds like Dabo or Coach O before the big game.
The verse above in Mark 11 points out the importance of who and what you buy-in to. ‘IT, will be done FOR you’ means you have faith in God, trust in Him and let Him work it out in His way and in His time. In other words, buy-in and submit to God. The current world analogy is don’t lose faith in Nick Saban or the Alabama program just because they didn’t make the CFP National Championship THIS season. Don’t lose faith and tear apart a democracy just because you don’t agree with the vote for Brexit or Trump.
It looks and feels like we’ve entered a new era where it’s the end stage for many institutions, powers and principalities. During this time it’s critical to remember that faith itself is under attack but faith alone is not the answer. The Bible encourages us to act on our faith because ‘faith without deeds is dead’ (James 2:26). We are also reminded that ‘if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.’ (1st Corinthians 13:2) ‘Abide no hatred’ is not the course of action. ‘Act in love’ is more powerful. Abide no Hatred or Act in Love
Christ taught to have confidence in God and ‘live by faith, not by sight.’ (2nd Corinthians 5:7). Many things seem to be headed downhill but you know ‘that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish it’s work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.’ James 1:3-4. Trials, discouraging seasons and unpopular results give us the opportunity to test who and what we have bought-in to and what we have faith in. Persevere, don’t get mad and give up on what you know is Truth (Truth).
Monday night there will be a winner and a loser, for this season. The losers will come back next year and still buy-in to their coaches and programs because they have faith. Don’t lose faith even when you lose a game…an election…a job…or a loved one.
Don’t be a ‘none’. Buy-in to the winner who rewards those who earnestly seek Him. Then watch unity, peace and love flood your heart and mind…and the world.