So, What Do You Want?

Possibly my favorite movie scene of all time is in Field of Dreams where Ray Kinsella and ex-political activist Terence Mann go to a baseball game. Although you will find the text of it below. to really appreciate what I’m saying here, please click on, or copy and paste the link and watch the video (it only takes a little over a minute). https://youtu.be/HQ5TsrnBLIU

Ray Kinsella:

So don't you miss being involved?

Terence Mann:

I was the East Coast distributor of 'involved'. I ate it, drank it, and breathed it. Then they killed Martin, they killed Bobby, they elected Tricky Dick twice. And people like you think I must be miserable because I'm not involved anymore. Well, I've got news for you. I spent all my misery years ago. I have no more pain for anything. I gave at the office.

Ray Kinsella:

So, what do you want?

Terence Mann:

I want them to stop looking to me for answers, begging me to speak again, write again, be a leader. I want them to start thinking for themselves. I want my privacy.

Ray Kinsella:

I mean, what do you want? [Gestures toward concession stand.]

Terence Mann:

Oh. Dog and a beer.

Ray Kinsella:

Two of those.

Concession stand worker:

Seven bucks.

What I see here is a classic example of overthinking. Overthinking is a common human attribute. All of us do it at one time or another, some more than others, and for some of us it’s a lifestyle choice; we do it all the time!

The question Ray asks in the film, though, is particularly touching to me as a pastor and a Christ follower, because it’s a question that virtually every true Christian sincerely asks, and sincerely wants answered,

“What do You want from me…God?”

People have various motivations when they put forth that question. Some are really asking, “God what will it take for you not to burn me to a cinder where I stand?”, or ‘How close can I get to the edge of the cliff before I am in real danger of falling off?”

Others are really asking, “Okay what can we do that will make this a win win for both You and me?” Let’s be honest here, though, while this group is willing to let God have His way now and then, it’s really about them winning, and if God is left to pick up the tab, then what’s the problem? He owns the cattle on a thousand hills doesn’t He?

Then there are those who fear God which is, after all, scriptural. These folks tend to think the answer to the question is, “Just do everything He says to the letter, then pray and ask forgiveness if you ever fall short, give 110% everyday to ensure His happiness, hide yourself under the blood of Jesus, and maybe, just maybe He will let you partake of life eternal!”

Wow! Who wouldn’t want that?

So you see these people doing their best to follow the rules God set down, trying to obey their way into heaven. Most Christ followers think of the Laws of Moses as the ten commandments and they laugh when they hear about the Pharisees coming up with 613 of them, but they are all in the scriptures. They are things God told the Jews to do regarding diet, cleanliness, diseases, social interactions, sex and many other subjects. However, when God gave them to the Jews He didn’t say, “Well OK , do these things if it suits you.” He told them, “Do these things!” They were not merely suggestions, they were commands. By zealously keeping all 613 commandments, the early Jews were trying to buy some life insurance.

Of course no child born of Adam could ever check all the boxes, but we should at least give them an A for effort in taking God seriously.

I’m looking at a website right now that offers 12 pages listing 1050 New Testament commands with supporting Scripture, and strangely in none of them do I read God as saying, “Here, do these things if it suits you.” Again He simply says, “Do these things.” Check link here https://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201407/r1308729_17984331.pdf and prepare to do a self test. Did you check all the boxes?

I look at these lists and what comes to my mind is that either we are barking up the wrong tree altogether and we’re all going to hell, or we are merely guilty of overthinking this to death and we need to self correct a little.

In Micah 6:8 it is written

“No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”

Translating that into today’s English what He is saying in response to the question, “So what do you want?” is simply this: (My son/daughter)

Do the right thing

Love kindness and compassion

And walk along with Me simply and respectfully

Am I wrong, or can anybody do this? There is nothing in this list that you wouldn’t want anybody else to do for you. It is neither rocket science nor competitive martial arts. It does not require discipline so much as it requires heart. And there is nothing to overthink. There is just you and Him.

So, what do you want?