This past week as I sat in a gym awaiting a high school basketball game, I had a great reminder from the announcer. The game was held at a Christian school in Winston-Salem, NC and before opening in prayer he reminded the crowd of something that has been a common cry of our ministry. He reminded them of the need as fans to honor the Lord!
Think about the hypocritical culture we are in as sports fans. If we see a player get upset and scream at an official, a coach, or another player we immediately brand that player as out of control. We will quickly call him a “poor sport.” We may even call him a “thug.” We will be thrilled when the ref blows the whistle and gives him a technical!
What if the refs were to blow whistles and give technicals when the fans were out of line? What if we viewed fans by the same standards of which we give players?
Way back in 2002 when I started doing these weekly devotions on the internet, I wrote about the fact that God doesn’t give a 40-minute reprieve from holiness to play a game. Since a new hoops season is upon us may I remind you that this is also true of watching a game?
Psalm 19: 14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.
With this week of Thanksgiving, I remind you that we are to be a people of praise and thanksgiving, not of complaining and griping. (See Philippians 4:8 and 2:14)
A gentle reminder of the InBounds Code of Conduct:
Players play; Coaches coach; Refs ref; Fans cheer!
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1 comment:
As always, great words, Coach! In a way, I really wish we had refs following us around and blowing the whistle when we get out of line; actually it would be even cooler if these refs could blow the whistle for us before we got out of line!! Reminds me of the need to stay in constant contact with God through Jesus Christ and to practice "hearing the whistle" when our thoughts, meditations, and words of our mouth are approaching unacceptable.
Happy Thanksgiving to all... What an awesome God we serve.
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