If you have watched the sports news closely this weekend
you probably saw the ugly fight that took place at the end of the Xavier/Cincinnati
game. The players had been at odds throughout the game; in fact the refs had to
separate them at halftime. Yet with the clock winding down and the game long
decided on the scoreboard the boys’ emotions got the best of them. There were
shoves, punches, and even stomping on people; there have been multiple
suspensions and some believe that a couple of the players shouldn’t play again;
I have even heard some say that criminal charges should be levied. In the wake
of all of this mess it led the coach of Cincinnati to say he is “embarrassed”
by the conduct of his players.
Yet the response from the players fits an all too common
thought process in our culture. They simply thought they had to stand up for
their rights; they thought they had to show they were strong and not going to
be bullied or be disrespected; they weren’t going to be weak. One of the players
involved said, “Where we come from…” as though his behavior was expected.
In a nutshell, the players allowed themselves to be
distracted by their individual rights and image instead of sticking to the team’s
game plan.
I could spend a lot of time just writing my thoughts
about this incident and its social ramifications based upon how the media
builds it up. Yet I will stick with the purpose of the weekly devotions and write
as a “coach” that looks for opportunities to show parallels between the sports
world and our Christian lives.
I will stick with the theme of the last couple of weeks
of devotions that have keyed on the game plan for us to “solve for X in X-mas.”
I have tried to be clever and encourage us to use the “X-mas” phrase to share
the Gospel…ye this week I will get straight to the point.
As a coach I am often embarrassed by our “team’s”
behavior during the holidays. We spend way too much time arguing and
complaining about our rights and being disrespected. I hear far too often that
we are not going to be “doormats”; all while hearing messages about peace,
turning the other cheek, Christ remaining silent to His accusers, etc.
Please do not get me wrong. We have been given an
opportunity (for those of us that are in America) to have a voice through the
voting process. Yet the game plan for us is not to be one of political activism
or screaming about our rights. The game plan is the Great Commission to preach
the Gospel. The game plan is to lay down individual rights in order to focus on
sharing the hope, joy, and peace of Christ with others.
When someone wishes you “Happy Holidays or Merry X-mas”
this CHRISTmas thank them for the kind greeting and respond creatively. After
all they have wished you happiness and merriment. Those aren’t bad things.
Maybe respond by saying, “Thank you and I hope your
holidays are not only happy but also full of hope, joy, and peace. Could I tell
you how to find those things?” Or maybe say, “Thank you. Could I ask what the ‘X’
stands for in your mind? What are you truly hoping for during the holidays? To
me the ‘X’ represents my hope, my joy, and my peace – could I share that with
you?”
As a “coach” my desire is to see us stick with the game
plan and not be distracted by all this other stuff. I would hope that we would
respond like the shepherds did. After they met the Savior they responded not by
demanding more respect as individuals - (remember shepherds were considered the
lowest class of people) – but instead by becoming the first evangelists after
the birth of Christ.
According to Luke 2:17 the shepherds “made known the
saying which was told to them concerning this Child.” What was told to them? In
the preceding verses there is the good tidings of Christ the Savior and the
promise of peace on earth and good will toward men!
If we will be faithful with the “good tidings” that were
told to us we will see results like the shepherds did. Check out the response
to the good news they were sharing…
Luke 2: 18 And all those who heard it
marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
Let’s stick to the game plan!
