On February 26 I will find myself at the 54th running of the Daytona 500. That statement is shocking to type. I’m not a race fan. I have never even watched an entire race. And yet, I am just a few days away from attending what I’ve been told is the premier race event.
“Why?” is probably the question you have in your mind. Honestly, it’s in my mind a little bit as well. But the answer to the question of why I would go spend a big chunk of change to watch a bunch of cars make left turns for four hours rests in one person: Fidi.
Fidi is a great friend of mine. Over the years, Fidi’s interest in NASCAR has spilled over to me, albeit ever so slightly. Truth be told, I often mocked his passion for racing, but Fidi stood strong. Over time, I learned about how his passion started, his favorite driver, and a little about the world that seemed so foreign and so strange.
After a while, I found myself checking race results to see if his driver won or if anything interesting happened (which in my mind meant a crash or a delay). Occasionally, I even watched a few minutes of the race.
After moving within a short drive to Daytona and having a senior pastor that has access to tickets, Fidi decided that he would come for a visit and go to the race. I decided that I would go with him. I decided to go because, ultimately, I’m a great friend and wouldn’t want him to go by himself . . . or at least that’s the public answer I give. The private answer, and the answer that is actually true, is that I am somewhat interested to understand the world that means so much to Fidi.
As it gets closer, I wake every morning with the thought that I will be going, and it is shocking to me. It is also somewhat overwhelming. I have no idea what to expect, no idea what the culture is like, no idea what to wear, no idea what to bring, no idea about anything. And as I immerse myself deeper into the uncertainty of this culture that I am about to dive into, I am struck with a thought that, for me, this NASCAR event is probably similar to a lot of other people’s feelings about church.
I am immersed in the culture of “churchy” things. It’s so easy to fall into a routine and expect everyone else to understand what is going on and offer no explanation. My NASCAR experience reminded me that I, along with many others, am immersed in a culture that we know lots about but often fail to explain or push on people who aren’t ready.
I’m checking out NASCAR on February 26. I might like it; I might hate it. Either way, I am experiencing it because I had a friend willing to take the time to explain something he loves and gives me the space to make up my own mind. I’ll bet we all have a NASCAR experience like my own--a culture about which we know little, a culture about which we are hesitant to explore. As we engage with others about Christianity, lets remember that we might need to do a better job at explaining the culture, and that we might need to plan on it taking a while. I’m not a die-hard NASCAR fan. Really, I’m not even a fan, but I am, slowly but surely, becoming more open to it because of my relationship with Fidi.
Greg Creek
No comments:
Post a Comment