Keeping the Score….or NOT!

In East Texas last weekend, we enjoyed playing cards with Larry and Staci. I think it was a test to see if Carl could measure up to their card-playing skills. They found out quickly (and so did I), that Carl is a pro when he schooled us on some added features of Spades!

Larry was the scorekeeper. Staci and Carl teamed up; Larry and I were a team. The first night, Staci and Carl beat us big-time. The next night, Larry and I were 100 points ahead, when Staci pulled off a blind nil (an added feature of the game that Carl taught us) and earned 200 points. They beat us again.

A “blind nil” is not looking at a player’s hand of cards while bidding. They must not earn any tricks, and if they don’t, they earn 200 points. But, if they win a trick, they lose 200 points. BTW – Carl received a high score in the “like and love” family category!

I am a relentless scoreboard watcher. I depend on and stare down the scoreboard at my grandson’s baseball games. And if the scoreboard isn’t working, I get lost and even frustrated on what inning we are on, as well as the number of strikes, balls and runs!

All that “scoring” reminds me of how we “score” those around us aka keeping a record of deeds we’ve done, or deeds others have done. This ongoing tabulation of deeds in my mind sounds something like this:

They paid for our meal. It’s our turn to pay for theirs.
He gave me a box of chocolates. I’ll make him some cookies.
She called me last. I need to call her.
I sent them a text message. They didn’t reply.

Like me, do you ever catch yourself keeping score? Trying to stay ahead or at least keeping up with someone else’s performance?

Lots of various relationships might mean many “scoreboards.” The family boards, the friend boards, the serving boards, and the giving boards. And, like our card game, sometime points are made, and some are taken away from our score.

When life is simply a game to us, we will always be adding points if others like, love and please us or subtracting points if they offend, disparage, or disappoint us. Ugh!

It makes me wonder how God looks at us and our scoreboards. I believe that Jesus came to not just unplug the bright lights of the “scoreboard”. He came to break it! Forever. He died to forgive and break our sin of living to please others over living for Him alone.

Perhaps many of us live as if God were keeping score, as if He has His own scoreboard with everyone’s name on it. Can we even imagine if eternal life depended on being perfect or trying to make sure all our good outweighed our bad? That would be living in defeat with no hope.

BREAKING NEWS!!! God is not keeping score, at least not for those who have put their faith in Him and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus’ light removes the dark filters of offense and expectations. His light creates a safe place of love that’s quick to forgive when mistakes happen. He set the example for us!

Because of Jesus’ death and the forgiveness He’s given, we can live in the light of His love. We can live in the knowledge that we already have approval — Jesus’ approval. He loves us; we are His very own.

King David wrote, “If you, LORD, kept a record of sins, LORD, who could stand?” (Psalm 130:3). Certainly, I couldn’t!