The Invisible Man--Out Of The Way Of His Message

The message in today's installment is very
dear to my heart;
to say that the testimony of this 'invisible' man has been an inspiration
 doesn't go nearly far enough.  
I know, though, that he would only want us
 to see right past him to his Lord and ours.

(Part 7 of the Beyond Trophies Series)

I want to share with you the story of someone you may have heard of, who was likely one of the most effective communicators of all time.  He predates all the current competitors in the league, so it’s probably okay for me to use at least his first name.  Though his life was tragically cut short at an early age, I honestly believe that, in that short life, he significantly affected the course of history from his small corner of the world.

Undaunted

You know I’ve been encouraging you to rely on God to direct what you should choose to speak about. Well, this young man did just that.  To say that John’s speech topics sparked discussion would be understatement.  Serious controversy would be more like it, yet he was totally undaunted.  He knew when he had a topic that the Lord wanted out in the open.

Though his audience’s reaction was consistently mixed, he never let the negative bias get to him.  He was willing to trust God with the outcomes.  He actually had some pretty serious heavyweights from his community judge his speeches, but he honestly wasn’t intimidated by what they might think.

He was a great one for analogies to illustrate his points, and I remember him talking about everything from marriage to gardening to snakes. 

In his day, he drew a pretty sizable audience for his speeches.  There aren’t many competition rooms that could hold the size audience that often gathered to hear him.

Powerful Humility

Perhaps the most amazing thing about John was that a speaker as gifted as he was would be so incredibly humble.  And his humility made him even more effective.

The best way to describe him might be that he totally got out of the way of his message.  Though singularly and unarguably effective, he regularly denied being somebody of importance.  It was as though he was so wrapped up and lost in his message that he became virtually invisible, and all you saw was his message.  It was never as if he were saying, “Look at me—I’m such a great speaker/actor!”  No, what came through was more like, “I’ve got the most awesome and important news to tell you, and it’s not about me!”  Then he simply delighted in telling it.

I don’t think it’s going to far too say that Jesus himself would say there was nobody greater.  It was clear that God had His hand on that boy from the time he was very small.  His godly parents had thought they could never have children, so when the man we know we know today as John the Baptist was born, his parents attracted quite a bit of attention because of their age, and their whole community wondered what this kid would turn out to be.  His dad spoke openly about how convinced he was that God was going to use their son in a mighty way to fulfill His purposes.

History proved his dad’s prophecy was right.  Since John’s tragic death, his story has been included in the biography of someone who became more famous than John—Someone whom the humble John claimed he himself wasn’t even worthy of untying the shoes of.   From the beginning, John’s message had actually been all about that other Someone, of whom John had willingly and joyfully said, “He must increase, and I must decrease.”  And though he knew it was only a matter of time before his audience would one by one begin to walk away to follow another, he pointed to Jesus and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

Joy, Joy, Joy

John said he rejoiced greatly to hear the voice of Jesus.  He said his joy was made full just to be the friend of Jesus.

The greatest communicators have much in common with John.  They have a message worth sharing.  They’re willing to get out of the way of their message—so thrilled with their message that they lose themselves in the telling of it, and all the while it only makes them all the more effective.  Oh, that each of us would rejoice to be a humble message bearer on behalf of our Beloved Savior, willing to be so wrapped up in His message that we gladly become less visible so His life and His message through us can be revealed.

If you want to read more about the role John played in God’s plans, you can find excerpts of his story within the following chapters: Isaiah 40, Malachi 3 & 4, Matthew 3 & 11, Mark 1 & 6, Luke 1, 3, 7, 9, & 20, and John 1, 3, & 4.  That's where the details of this story came from.

The Standard Is Not Mashed Potatoes

(Part 6 of the Beyond Trophies Series)

Okay, I’m not wearing rose-colored glasses.  I know that less than exemplary behavior sometimes wins debate rounds.  Rudeness pops up in cross-examination or in low-blow insults.  Evidence and support get twisted.  Tag lines and impacts don’t match evidence.  Irrelevant arguments get repeated incessantly.  Unsubstantiated claims are made.  Some debaters intentionally lie.  Some bank robbers never get caught either.  

Today I’m going to set before you two challenges in the context of losing to debating that is less than honorable.

CHALLENGE ONE—Absolutely resist the temptation to try winning by less than honorable behavior.  Why?  Here are two good reasons.

REASON ONE—Trading your integrity for winning a ballot is way too high a price.  

Pragmatism
There is a word for this kind of trade. It’s called pragmatism, and it basically means doing whatever it takes to get the IMMEDIATE result you want, regardless of what is right.  “Immediate” is the key word here because the fact of the matter is that the immediate result obtained by pragmatism does not ultimately lead to a good or cool place.  You simply can’t get there with pragmatism.  The immediate result obtained by pragmatism isn’t even on the road to real success.  It’s a hoax, a dead end joke, and the joke is on you if you try it.  You just end up looking really foolish.

That's not all

But, oh, if only looking foolish were all there were to it; alas, looking foolish is only the start of it.  Closely on the heels of looking foolish comes loss of respect and the loss of integrity, both of which are necessary prerequisites for true success.  Though I pray it’s not the case, if you listen carefully in the hallways of the next tournament, you will probably hear news of those who foolishly chose this trade.  They’ve lost respect and their integrity, not only among their peers, but among judges, too, who might have considered hiring them, voting for them, or agreeing to be their in-laws someday.  The wise will consider the stakes.

Debate IS the real world

Don’t be naïve; what happens in a debate round never stays in a debate round!  Debate is not somehow magically separated from the world of reality.  It IS reality when it comes to your character, your reputation, and your integrity; your conduct in the world of debate will affect the rest of your life.

At every debate tournament, people make decisions about whom they would never hire, never work for, never vote for, never write a positive reference for, or never marry—all based on conduct in a debate round.  Far better to lose a ballot than lose your integrity, because, realistically, while you could easily go win the next round, integrity can never so easily be won back.  You need to know that lasting influence works two ways.

Proverbs 22:1 says, “A good name is to be more desired than great riches.”  

On the other hand, “The name of the wicked will rot.” (Proverbs 10:7)

Reason Two—Though it may look like a shortcut to success, trading your integrity for a winning ballot is actually a dead end because the standard is not mashed potatoes. 

Mashed Potatoes

Pragmatism is a really dangerous game to play, because it ultimately blurs the lines of what is right and true.  People who adopt a pragmatic approach to life see truth and right somewhat like a mushy glob of mashed potatoes.  They assume they can push it around, and mold it into whatever shape works to serve their immediate purposes.  They assume that if they bump into a standard it will yield to their pressure, that the standards are always changing, always negotiable, and only suggestions anyway.  However, inconvenient as it is for them, the real truth about what is right is nothing like mashed potatoes.  It is fixed and immovable, and ramming it leads, at best, to a really bad headache.

The nitty gritty

At this point, let’s dispense with generalities and talk about the nitty gritty.  What exactly are some of those standards that define honorable and less than honorable conduct?  God’s Old Testament book of Proverbs is one of the most straightforward explanations available, spelling out thousands of examples of the nitty gritty aspects of life, with pointed and potentially painful practicality.

Proverbs 11:1-- “A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight.”  What’s a false balance look like in the debate world?  The principle here is that deceptive twisting of facts to your own advantage invokes the Lord’s hatred and disgust.  On the other hand, He’s delighted when we represent the facts accurately.

Proverbs 11:2-- “When pride comes, then comes dishonor, but with the humble is wisdom.” 

Proverbs 11:3-- “The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the falseness of the treacherous will destroy them.”  If you say the other side is illogical, you better be prepared to explain how.

Proverbs 11:17-- “The merciful man does himself good, but the cruel man does himself harm.”  Sly, underhanded, or mean-spirited attacks on another person (rather than critiquing an argument) and rudeness or merciless grilling in cross-examination will only come back to haunt you.

Proverbs 6:16 spells out seven things God hates:  

            Haughty eyes

            A lying tongue

            Hands that shed innocent blood

            A heart that devises wicked plans

            Feet that run rapidly to evil

            A false witness who utters lies  (If you say the other side didn’t respond to an argument, it better be true.)

            One who spreads strife among brothers

In addition to the above recipe for success that includes honesty, humility, integrity, and mercy, “A gentle answer turns away wrath.” (Proverbs 15:1)  And, “Sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness.”  (Proverbs 16:21b)

No effective shortcut

That fact is that there is no shortcut to success.  The truly successful pay close attention to God’s standard. 

"This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, 

but you shall meditate on it day and night, 

so that you may be careful to do 

according to all that is written in it; 

for then you will make your way prosperous, 

and then you will have success.” 

 Joshua 1:8

Are you still wondering why it sometimes looks like less than honorable conduct wins the day?  The faith-testing fact is that sometimes negative consequences are delayed.  But you can be sure consequences are still coming because God is the judge of the finals of life, and His standard is—you probably guessed it—nothing like mashed potatoes!

CHALLENGE TWO—If you do end up losing to less than honorable conduct, trust that God is sovereign and that He knows what He’s doing with every single ballot—even if you can’t imagine what it is that He’s up to.  The key is understanding that at the end of the day, ballots must add up to His purposes.  This subject—WHAT BALLOTS MUST ADD UP TO—is so incredibly important that I’ll be devoting Parts 8 & 9 to that.

But before that, in Part 7, I’m dying to tell you the story of someone you may have heard of, who just may be one of the greatest communicators of all time.  I’ve nicknamed him “THE INVISIBLE MAN.”

Oh, No, Scissor Steps Steal the Show!

(Part 5 of the Beyond Trophies Series)

Physical blocking for a speech is a lot like selecting a tie.  The ideal tie perfectly complements your overall look, without attracting undue attention to itself.  On the other hand, the less than ideal tie is conspicuous, sometimes even obnoxiously distracting.  The most effective blocking is like that ideal tie, appropriately complementing and supporting your message without distracting from it in any way.

Simon says?
Unfortunately, “distracting-tie” type blocking sneaks into otherwise excellent speeches at times, and great speakers get upstaged by their own feet: a speaker pauses, drops eye contact with the audience, adopts a look of concentration, and telegraphs to the audience that he’s thinking, “Now I walk here,” as he awkwardly maneuvers from one invisible X on the floor to another.  Sometimes I get the idea that a speaker must be simultaneously playing a game of Simon Says and just heard someone say, “Simon says, ‘Stop talking and take one giant step to the left,’” or worse yet, “’Simon says, ‘Take three giant scissor steps to the right.’”

The point of movement is to enhance and reinforce your message; if your movement distracts your audience instead, they will miss part of your message.

No Distractions
Aim to make your steps so natural that your audience won’t even consciously realize you’ve moved to a different spot.  They will later be able to picture where you stood when you made a particular point, but you don’t really want them to remember how you got there.   In general, it looks most natural for you to turn your body in the direction you’re moving--as long as you keep your face turned toward your audience, maintain eye contact, and keep talking as you walk normally.

As a judge, I've noticed, ladies, that it’s nearly impossible for speakers to walk normally in heels that are too high.  You can solve this problem before it shows up on your ballot if you either practice walking in your shoes, or (and this option is probably more fun) use this as an excuse to go shoe shopping for lower heels.  Just remember that if your ankles or knees are wobbling, those stylish shoes will be stealing the show, and your audience will miss your message.  A 5th & Below ranking on a ballot that says, "Gotta love those shoes!" could make you feel even sillier than you might look earning it.

Overall, everyone, your blocking--ties and shoes, too---are not meant to steal the show, but instead to play supporting roles, so your message can take center stage, where it belongs.  

Next: What about when less than honorable debating wins the round?  Also coming up--quite possibly the most important thing I have to share--What Ballots Must Add Up To.

Above Reproach

(Part 4 of the Beyond Trophies Series)

Just for fun, Part 4 starts with a delivery tip before I tell you about two debate teams you may know.

Would you like to take your vocal expression to the next level of excellence?  Then seek to let your audience HEAR your FACIAL EXPRESSIONS.  No, that wasn’t a typo.  Seriously, think about using your voice in such a way that, if part of your audience couldn’t see you, you could let them know what facial expression you were wearing just by the sound of your voice.  Sounds funny, I know, but thinking about using your voice this way can work wonders.  Ask someone to listen to you with his eyes shut and let you know if you’re getting the hang of it.

Now, about a bigger vision for debate . . . Remember when I asked you to consider going after lasting influence—for the sake of God’s kingdom priorities— instead of going after temporary trophies?

In Ephesians 4:1-3, the Apostle Paul entreats his readers to walk in a manner worthy of their calling, with humility, gentleness, patience, and forgiveness, diligently preserving the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.  What does that look like in a debate round?  I want to tell you about the lasting influence of two debate teams.

I heard about the conduct of one these teams in a rather unusual place—in an impromptu speech round.  The topic was meekness, which the speaker defined as power appropriately under control, and one of the examples he used was a debate team.  The speaker explained that, though this team was very good and could easily tangle with the best teams, when they debated a less experienced team they appropriately held back and didn’t run every argument in the book.  This team understood that there was no need to mercilessly crush another team, and exemplified power under control.  I’d seen the team he was describing, and I knew he was right.

Now, while there may be no mechanism for your league to publicly recognize honorable behavior, don’t ever forget that people are watching you, even when you don’t realize it.  The debaters mentioned in the impromptu were amazed when I told them what I had heard.  And always remember that God is judging, too.  In His eyes, the real winners are the ones who debate in a manner worthy of their calling.

The next team I want to tell you about is a team that my children debated more times in two years than any other team—and they beat my children every single time.  But you know what?  This team inspired my children’s genuine respect, and not plots of revenge.  Why?  Because this team was polite and gracious, they ran legitimate arguments, they didn’t accuse their opponents of not responding to arguments when they actually had, they performed no tricky evidence twisting, and they directed no sarcastic and insulting low blows to opposing teams.  It reminded me of what Paul speaks of in Philippians 2:14—proving to be “children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world...”

Both teams I told you about are no longer in the league, but their influence is still there.  And I guarantee you that others will remember your conduct long after they remember how you placed.

So here’s your challenge:  I challenge you to conduct yourself in such a way that your former opponents become your fans even after you beat them out of outrounds.  Think it’s impossible?  I’ve seen it happen . . . more than once!

Next time:  Scissor Steps Steal the Show!

A Bigger Vision

(Part 3 of the Beyond Trophies Series)

Before I share the students’ stories I promised, I’ve got to lay down some foundation stones.  

I’ve been asking you to examine the reasons you pursue excellence.   In Matthew 6, Jesus points out that if we are doing the right things just to be noticed and honored by other people, then that’s all the reward we’re ever going to get.  Frankly, if an award is all we're after, then our vision is far too nearsighted.

We need a bigger, and honestly, a nobler reason to do what we do.  The apostle Paul encouraged his friends in Colossae to work heartily, “as FOR THE LORD rather than for men.”  He reminded them that it was really the Lord they were serving.  Paul was right; if you belong to God, then seeking your own fame was never your assignment.  Seeking God’s fame is.  And this is where it can get really exciting.

Here’s why.  Peter and James both point out that “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”  (I Peter 5 and James 4)  And in II Chronicles 16:9, a prophet named Hanani explains something incredibly important to King Asa, “The eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.”  (Incidentally, the prophet goes on to explain to Asa that it had been a really foolish idea not to trust the Lord.)

But what has all this got to do with speech and debate, or the rest of life for that matter?  Well—are you willing to work for God’s fame and not your own?  Are you willing to be available to God and to trust that His power will accomplish His purposes through your life as you obey Him?  Will you make your heart completely His?

You need to know that if you’re in this life all for yourself, the Bible makes it pretty clear that you better not count on either His help or His reward.  On the other hand, if you are willing to make your heart completely His, then the Lord is ready to strongly support you, and the horizon of your adventure in the world of speech and debate (and the rest of life) is about to be greatly expanded!

Real Life

I’m going to tell you about two students who trusted the Lord with their speeches, who trusted that God was doing something far bigger than awards, but I need you to keep something in mind.  When we read the records of how God worked in people’s lives, whether in the Bible or somewhere else, the point of these accounts is not to put the people on a pedestal, but to point the spotlight on the faithful God they trusted.  Remember that these are just ordinary students who put their trust in The Extraordinary God.

The setting is NCFCA Nationals 2013, where a young lady was competing with a Persuasive speech about adoption.  She’d been praying all season that God would continue to use her speech for His purposes.  Turns out one of her judges had previously closed her heart to—and decided against—adoption, because of negative stories she had heard.   However, as she explained on her ballot—because of that speech, she was reconsidering her decision!

And in another competition room, same tournament . . . God was at work through another student.  When a young lady’s Open Interpretation speech got to finals, she was incredibly humbled and confessed that she felt so unworthy of being in finals.  But she and her mom believed that God must have a purpose for taking her speech to finals, and they prayed specifically that God would use her speech to touch someone’s heart and that He would bring the person to the round who really needed to hear it.  Guess what?  After the round, they met a woman in the restroom who told them how she had really needed to hear that speech—how it had shown her that, even in her own tough times, God was still showing her his mercy.

Those students will tell you that knowing that someone is going to think and live differently tomorrow because of what God gave you to share is worth far more than any trophy.

In the cases of these two students, God let them see a small glimpse of what He was doing through them, the ripple effect that extends far beyond the medals and trophies.  And while it’s true that we have no guarantee that we’ll get to see what He’s up to this side of heaven, He is still the same capable God and altogether worthy of our trust.  Will you trust Him?

Maybe you're thinking this sounds great for some speeches...but what about the world of debate?  Next time, real life examples of lasting influence for God’s priorities from the debate world.

Awards or Influence?

(Part 2 of the Beyond Trophies series,
 dedicated to my friends in Speech and Debate,

but you'll find the ideas apply in a much broader context.)

So if trophies have these troubling traits (See Part 1) and their thrill is only temporary at best, what else is there to pursue?

I really must start by letting you know that I’m all for excellence, so I don’t want you to think that if you replace trophies with another goal that you have to give up pursuing excellence.  Not at all!  No, I want to challenge you to consider the reason you pursue excellence.  Think about it this way—“For what purpose am I pursuing excellence?”

What if you were to choose to use your platform to do something that lasts longer than trophies?  And that lasts even longer than those great communication skills—valuable as they are—that the coaches are always promoting at the annual club kick-off meetings.

What if you gave a speech whose life didn’t end when you gave it for the last time--whether you take it all the way to a national competition or not?  And I don’t mean simply having it preserved on YouTube either.

Seriously, what if your speech could set something in motion in the hearts and minds of your listeners that would literally change their world?  What if, instead of temporary trophies, you went after lasting influence—for the sake of God’s kingdom priorities?  

I challenge you to ask God what speech He would like you to give.  Ask Him what He wants you to say.  Then write it (or cut it), give it, and then rest in the fact that, whether you earn a plastic trophy or not, you delivered a message that will outlast any first place trophy.  There is such a thing as treasure in heaven, and according to Jesus, it lasts.

The last time you give a speech doesn’t have to be the end.  Instead, it could be only the beginning!  Why?—Because if you give the speech God gave you to give, then somebody is going to go home and live differently tomorrow—and the day after that—because of something you said!

In case you’re wondering what this looks like in real tournament life, next time I’ll tell you what happened to some students you might even know.

The Trouble With Trophies

(Dedicated to my friends in competitive speech and debate,
this is Part 1 of the Beyond Trophies series.)

The Trouble with Trophies

First, they require dusting.

Second—a particular disappointment to girls—you can’t wear them.

Third—and this one is especially disappointing to the boys who are blessed with the greatest of appetites (as well as their mothers)—you can’t eat them.

Fourth, they are liable to break, especially the plastic ones, sometimes even before you get them off tournament grounds.

Fifth, you really can’t display very many of them without looking overly proud.

Last, and the worst trouble of all: they’re dated.

Why is the date so troublesome?  The date stares you in the face as a grim reminder that you are only the temporary champion.  Even if you took first place, you could be supplanted at the very next contest.  Realistically, the date is also there because before very long, not even you will remember when you did whatever it was you did.

The inscription of what you did is there on the trophy for the very same reason; long before she’s old and gray, unfortunate as it may seem, not even your mother will be able to remember the exact place you took.

Now I’ll be the first to admit that earning trophies is still fun, in spite of their troubling traits, but you just can’t get around the fact that the thrill is still temporary at best.  If you’ve set your sights on trophies, you can never be perfectly content.  Surely, there’s got to be more to competing.

Thankfully, there is more. 

That something more will be the subject of the next post.