I had always been one to ridicule the idea of "fan obsession." I’d never understood how people could be so obsessed with an individual simply because they are in the spotlight of fame. These people are idolized for their ability to do something at a professional level. I'm a firm believer in Christ, and I did not like the idea of praising these individuals. I also didn't understand how people could care so much about someone they would probably never meet. Recently, I realized that's actually what we are called to do: love and care for people no matter their social status.

I recently came across a couple of negative people. You know, the ones who have nothing nice to say about anyone at any time. I found myself defending Blake Griffin, a professional basketball player. After I had stated how much I liked watching him play, a few guys started pointing out all the wrong things they thought he had done and all of the mistakes they had “witnessed” him make. As Christians, they began judging his every action. What started as an innocent comment from myself, ended in a strong disagreement. I made the comment about how awesome I thought he was, to which one of the guys quickly responded: “Uh, he has a kid, Clarissa. Are you serious? He’s not a good guy.” I was in literal shock at the response. I was amazed at the knowledge of these guys and so many others. They “knew” so much about him, without ever meeting him. Just the emphatic judgment of someone is shocking to me, no matter his or her status in this world. I realized through this that my thought of “superstars are just people” was so accurate, but not in the sense I had convinced myself. I began pondering all of the negative comments that I had seen online, heard from acquaintances, and just interacted with on a daily basis. I began to appreciate that athletes are not just people. They are people wonderfully made by God. People who make mistakes, but those mistakes never go unnoticed due to the amount of people waiting for them to slip up. I feel like people see them as “just people” when trying to point out that they are no better than the ordinary person, but it’s never taken into consideration when the “ordinary person” starts to drag them down with negativity. At this point, athletes are considered as objects rather than people.

I began to realize just how hypocritical some Christians can be. It’s saddening because their constant judgment reflects the views of Christians as a whole in an adverse way. How on earth could I start to speak on the mistakes of others? I fall short just like the athletes being ridiculed. It's not my place to point out flaws. I still see myself as a good person in Christ, even on my worst days. I still see athletes as great people through Him as well. The result of the Christians’ poor actions aren’t publicized to the entire world, so it’s easier to point fingers at those who are continuously watched.

So, to all the professional athletes, I just wanted you to know you're so much more than the negative opinions. You all are awesome, genuine people, yet you receive so much criticism. I’m unaware of the effect that all of it has on you, but no person should be immune to harassment for the simple fact that it’s just part of who they are. It’s truly saddening to see. You’re an inspiration to so many young people. Watching you just take the time out of your day to smile for a picture and sign a poster for people is so heartwarming. Thank you all for being awesome. You are loved and appreciated.