Why this is? I'm not sure. I noticed this when I was asked if I was going to attend an event being hosted by a friend Saturday night where my second family* would be attending. Surprisingly, I found it take a great deal for me to commit to going to this event instead of watching football with my roommate. The sad part is that I could not have cared less who was playing that night I just wanted to watch football. After pondering the idea of enjoying the company of my friends or watching football I finally settled on getting out of the house for the first time on Saturday and going. As it turned out I had a blast. I also found out that my good friend Daniel Watson was in town and had gone to this event as well. I would have been HIGHLY disappointed in myself had I not gone being that today would have been the only day I really would have gotten to spend time with him. I say all of this because I have wondered lately why people, myself included, put so much heart into something that doesn't even know or even care that they exist? I'm specifically talking about college football fans, but this can relate to fans of any sport for that matter.
Each week we dress up in our favorite team colors, cheer, yell, and proclaim to have the best team in the nation yet get nothing in return. It has even gone to such extremes that people have started fights and wasted loads of money to show that they are THE #1 FAN. If I don't show up to or watch a game will not the same result occur? It blows my mind that fans week in and week out can allow their moods and lives to be gauged on a game that is ultimately not that vital to their lives. Fandom is a one-way relationship. Now sure, sports are fun to watch and if you are an athlete or coach can be a great career. However, from a fan perspective we cannot allow ourselves to get so wrapped up in sports that we lose sight of what is truly important in life.
What if we took the passion we have for our sports teams and applied that to God? How much more committed would we be? How much more effective could we be in the world? Being that I live in Tallahassee, Florida and am constantly surrounded by things colored garnet and gold daily, I tend to notice every once in awhile I will see something out of the norm. Orange and Blue. Two colors no Seminole fan enjoys seeing in their homeland. As I see these Gator fans I often take note of their pride and how they get treated by Seminole fans here in Tallahassee. While some are more gentle than others, I often wonder about those getting treated poorly and how they parallel to Jesus and his relationship with the Pharisees and Sadducees. Now I understand that I am probably getting negative responses already just by putting Jesus and Florida Gator fans in the same sentence. I urge you to just hear me out. If it helps, turn the situation to a Seminole fan in Gainesville for this relationship can go both ways. We(Seminoles) persecute the enemy(Gators) with our words and gestures, and all for what? Possibly because the enemy beat us last year, or even worse, we were taught no different but to hate the enemy? The Pharisees and Sadducees hated Jesus because they were threatened by Him and didn't know any better but to hate Him. Are we no different?
My main point here does nothing with football, but is to open our eyes to the fact that we may possibly approach our enemies with love and sincerity. Jesus calls us to "Love thy neighbor as thyself" all to often we either fail at showing this or believe it only applies to our "Christian neighbors". Unbelievers have often rejected the church all to often due to the fact that we do not appear sincere, and even hypocritical. Does this sound familiar? The Pharisees themselves were often condemned by Jesus for being hypocritical and focusing too much on the nature of the law rather than loving and accepting those who have fallen and helping them through their struggles. I feel if we approach unbelievers with a humble mind and heart, letting them know that we are in fact no greater than they are, unbelievers will begin to see us for who we truly are. Humble servants of our King, Jesus Christ, and that we have such a contagious love for Christ that we cannot help but to love and show concern for those around us who are struggling with the very issues we ourselves face.
Romans 15:1-2
"1 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2 Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up."
With Much Love,
Dave
*college group/AFC at Meridian Woods Church Of Christ
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