Well, we are back at it yet again. This crazy, obsessed country that we live in is about to embark on another football season. I will single out this state and city because we love our Blazers. Tide and Tigers with a passion. We also have our Trojans, Lions, Gamecocks, Bulldogs, Falcons and Jaguars. I might have inadvertently missed one of our other football program’s name.
It is time that we all take a closer look at ourselves and our attitudes when it comes to our love of the sport. And, where is Jesus in our lives?
What I am adding to this year’s season kickoff blog is just pure more love less hate actions. It is time to take notice and deliver.
We do offer a whole lot of banter for no apparent reason except to hear or see ourselves on the radio or in the print media albeit Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, Facebook or one of a dozen social media sites. That gives us a chance to spew the hate and venom.
We do have that tendency to judge others and call individuals names. We also put in more time effort getting prepped to attend a game, drive to the city where the venue is, tailgating and spend lots and lots of money doing all these things. Some do this even when they can’t truly afford to. Some even get it all and not to the church home nor their faith.
When you hurt others with words and actions, you are actually hurting yourself. Because your mean words are actually a reflection of your own personality. And a reflection of your own life. Pushing others away will be the end result and you will be a very lonely old person with no one around to love you.
We’ve all heard the same phrases said by our teachers, our parents, and our friends throughout our entire life: “treat others the same way you would want to be treated,” “Be yourself,” “You are beautiful just the way you are,” “Never change.” It sounds so easy to do.
Why can’t we just let people be themselves? You don’t have to agree with their lifestyle choices, I’m not telling you to change your views and opinions. You just have to accept and respect the fact that they are living, breathing, human beings who have the same rights and privileges as you and anyone else on this planet. It shouldn’t matter their race, ethnicity, religion, size, shape, sexual orientation or sexual identity, or which team they root for, as long as they are happy and living their life the way they want, what makes it your business to interfere with that? Wouldn’t you rather see people happy and embracing their true self than hear about another suicide, or killing, or bombing, or massacre, or shooting?
You and I can neither predict nor control the future, but we can control how we respond to its unpredictability. As long as we hold our Father at arm’s length while we wait for explanations that may not help us, we forfeit the mercy that will.
We too should have Jesus in our lives and hopefully, mercifully and prayerfully share and shine our light for others to see. Keep Jesus first and foremost!