It started when my husband held up a piece of blue fabric with white symbols sewn on it (a girl's purse) and jokinly teased the owner that he was going to burn it. Another girl yelled, "Don't do that! It's holy!" Holy???? Holy? We are now calling sports paraphernalia holy? I couldn't believe it! Holy from a regular Websters dictionary is 1. sacred 2. sinless 3. deserving reverence. Wow! Does a sports team even come close to being sacred or sinless? Most of the players don't even know the God who is Holy! They would leave the team to play on the next one that paid better.
Then my husband posted a picture of a sports hat burning and someone commented it's as burning the American flag! Man, such shockingness in one week! The flag that represents our freedom. So many have given their lives for it! The founders came here to have freedom to worship their God without persecution and we hold a sports hat/team as dear?!?! This has been very shocking to me!
I once heard a speaker I respect say he won't get involved with sports at all and I'm starting to really wonder if it's the best way to go. Sports seem to be such a god of this world and we let our children take part in the idolatry! I admit, our boys are just as into their teams,, I hope not to the point of calling them holy or like our flag, but they follow them quite closely. They can tell you the players names, stats, scores and other stuff I don't understand (can you tell I'm NOT into sports!!). I sure hope they can keep the idol of sports out of their hearts and remember it's supposed to be for fun!?!?! So much to deal with in today's world! Lord, give us wisdom!!
Micah is going to play football this fall at the public highschool....so far for him it is just a game and it is fun...he likes the uniforms and he enjoys the team members....I do pray for Micah daily. He seems to want to be in the world and the fact that he is adopted now he wants to find his family members and I am friends with a few on facebook and they are not the kind of people you would want your teen to spend a lot of time with esp. when that teen is struggling with his faith in the Lord....it is a tough situation but adopted kids come with their own way of thinking....so prayer for Micah would be greatly appreciated...that he would seek Jesus first and foremost in his like and desire to know Him better. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThe Pastor Josh and I grew up under didn't approve of following sports at all for those very reasons. He was fine with kids playing them, but said they should be memorizing scripture instead of stats.
ReplyDeleteJosh follows along during basketball and football season for his bracket thing, but I'm so thankful he's not consumed with it. I don't just not like them, I despise them. Playing is one thing, but to me, obsessing over them is another. My dad mildly follows Nascar, but our "godfather" was a different story. My mom befriended one of her coworkers when she was pregnant with me and she and her husband became our "godparents". I couldn't stand going over, but we were kids and didn't have a choice. Spending the night consisted of us going and sitting quietly in the living room while she chatted on the phone and brought him beer and snacks and he sat in his armchair and screamed (I'm not kidding) at the TV. We weren't allowed to walk in front of the tv or WE got screamed at. He was completely consumed with it. As the night wore on, he got louder and crankier and more drunk. He would actually order us to rub his smelly feet and sweaty head while he watched. You didn't dare refuse. Thankfully, our parents had a falling-out with them when I was ten and we never had to see them again. I've never been able to see a game on and not feel at least a small degree of disgust. I try to leave the room or the house when Josh is watching. I just can't stand to even HEAR it.
I'm thankful our boys just don't have an interest in it yet. Ethan tried for Josh's sake, but just doesn't care. Evan likes to see them hitting and taking hits, but that's about it. That's fine by me! You're right- it is like they're the god of the world. A way to keep us preoccupied with trivial things while things fall apart around us. I'm AMAZED at what people will pay for season tickets and pay for all the logo'd accessories that go with it. I think you can have a balance, but it probably has to be a conscious effort?
It is so hard to even watch sports without being sucked into the "lifestyle". Constantly having to mute the TV for bad music, turn the channel for bad commercials etc. Idolatry in sports is so obvious on TV too. People with shirts off and paint on their chests screaming out for their favorite team/player. Always seemed wierd to me. I can't believe people said those things about the purse and the flag. SO sad!
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