In the fall and winter months, all anyone in the South seems to be able to talk about is football. The conversations range from high school to professional games. If you aren't rooting for a team and don’t know that team's statistics, rating or key players, you are out of the loop until mid-January. As I was sitting in a college football stadium filled with 87,000 plus fans, the Holy Spirit moved inside of me. The team I was rooting for, the home team, was down by a couple of touchdowns. A fan in front of me was livid. He was cussing, and steam seemed to be pouring out of his red,hot ears. The question, “What if we were as passionate about our faith as we are about our football team?” came to my mind.
What if the gut-wrenching sadness we feel after our beloved team loses was felt every time a lost person we knew slipped further and further away from a relationship with the Father?
What if we had the same faith in our god to save the people that seem impossible to reach that we do in our team to win a tough game?
What if we stuck up for our Savior like we do for our team?
What if we studied the never-changing truth about God rather than the ever-changing statistics of football teams?
What if we were as concerned about the destiny of our lost friends as were are about the destiny of our team in the play-offs?
What if we sobbed for the lost rather than sobbing over a loss?
What if we cried out to the one who hears all rather than to the player on the field who most likely can’t hear a word we are saying?
What if we posted on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc., our love for our Heavenly Father like we do our love for our team?
What if we knew just as much about Jesus as we do about our team’s key player?
What if we told people about God just as easily as we tell people about the team that we root for?
What if we gave just as much money to missions as we do to admissions?
What if we celebrated for months after someone is saved like we celebrate for days on end after our team wins?
What if we looked to God and his unfailing love to bring us joy rather than our imperfect team?
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE football. I don't think it's wrong to take pride in your school's team. It just all goes back to that simple question, "What if we were AS passionate about our faith as we are our football team?"
