A Conspiracy?

I don’t want to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but . . .

The Leafs had the series lead.  Then . . . their top goalie is taken out (Intentionally?  No penalty?  No player discipline by the league?).  Then . . . in the second period of Game 3, with a backup goalie, they breakdown completely and fall behind never to catch up;  even though there was a good effort in the third period, they still lost the game.  Then . . . in Game 4, they spent the first half of the first period with someone in the penalty box - for questionable calls, calls that seemed to go just one way, another run at the goalie that missed, Knies injured again from a cross-check that wasn’t called . . .  Even though they defended well, the game-winning goal was scored at the end of that stretch.  They never recovered.

A Canadian team has not hoisted the cup in decades.  Is there a well-orchestrated plan to keep Canadian teams from succeeding in the playoffs?

Probably not (as much as I wish I could find one to explain why we keep losing . . .).

Anyone who is hard-core anything is going to always filter their perceptions through their bias.  It turns out this isn’t just a psychological phenomena;  there are limits on what we actually CAN see and process. In this interesting article, we learn that science has discovered there is a limit to what we can see (we know this to be true from the fact that many referees cannot see when a Leaf player is being cross-checked).  Apparently, part of our daily eye movement is called a “saccade,” and when it is happening, we may not fully see what is happening right in front of us.  We are looking at it but we don’t see it.

“Seeing but not perceiving.”  It isn’t a new concept even though it is now documented scientifically.  Illusionists rely on this principle in order to convince us of one thing while something else totally different is actually happening (spoiler alert:  they don’t really saw the lady in half - it just looks that way).  

Moses was commended for his faith because he was able to “see what was invisible” (Heb. 11:27).  The task before him seemed impossible, from a human perspective the odds were against him, yet he had faith in what he could not see - the Creator God.  

Isaiah had a vision of God in which Isaiah was told to go and proclaim the message he received, but with this caveat: people would hear him but not understand, they would see things but not perceive them (Isa. 6:9).  Indeed, in spite of his best efforts, his message was largely ignored and eventually the ancient people of God were taken into captivity for their faithlessness to God.  They heard, they saw, but they didn’t understand or perceive.

So my question to myself this morning is, “What am I seeing yet not perceiving?  What am I hearing and not understanding?”  Let me be clear:  I don’t think God talks to us in “code” or sends us mysterious messages.  However, I do have my own set of biases and presuppositions.  Many of them, I’m sure, are not consistent with the nature and character of God.  I know I have blind-spots.  We all do.  But if I’m blind to them, how do I know they are there?

This is why learning, living, and doing faith in community is so important.  What may be imperceptible to us may be glaringly obvious to someone else.  That doesn’t give us a “license-to-confront” (how horrible would that be!?!).  It does mean that we need to nurture relationships where we can lean into one another, build trust, and gently encourage one another.  The most loving thing we can do is be truthful with one another - with gentleness and respect.  Building those kinds of relationships takes time and effort.  It is a major reason why we gather each Sunday and worship God collectively.

Do I have a plan that will address the Leafs’ problems?  Absolutely.  I’m not going to share it here.  If the Leafs want my insight on how to move forward, they can contact me, and we’ll negotiate the terms for accessing my wisdom.

Meanwhile, because I’m aware that my perceptions may not always be accurate, I’m going to continue to build relationships upon a foundation of trust so there can be the necessary mutual encouragement and support.

Living faithfully is a team sport.  Let’s goooo!