Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Cheering For the Right Team

It’s football season. We aren’t big into sports, but we went to the Homecoming game tonight.

After we chose our seats, we realized just how close we were to the fans of the opposing team. They were in the next section over, and it was even closer for us because we sat in the top row with the stairs in front of us.

It was pretty uncomfortable, really.

I didn’t feel like I could clap wholeheartedly for our team when the other team’s supporters were sitting right next to me.

It was awkward when they were yelling, “Go! Go! Go!” and I was muttering, “Get him! Get him! Get him!”

Our cheerleaders were way down in front of our student section, and their cheerleaders were in front of the next section over from us. I couldn’t help it when my foot started tapping in rhythm with their cheers once in a while.

If I stopped paying close attention to the game, I almost started clapping when their fans did.

Our team lost, but I’m glad we went to see them play. We saw them make one sweet touchdown (the guy next to me even commented to a friend about how great our quarterback dropped it in there) and it was just good to see those kids working together and trying.

I couldn’t help but think about how we live our lives as I watched the game and pondered our poor choice of seats.

Just think about how much stronger we could be if we chose to sit right in the middle of our team’s section, surrounded by people who were wholeheartedly cheering for the same things we were. We could have our own cheerleaders right in front of us, leading us in encouraging our team. Sure, we could still see the other team and their fans, but we could feel much more secure in our support. We could clap louder, yell like crazy when our team is heading for the end zone, and high five those around us when the touchdown happens.

We have to be all in when it comes to our faith. If we claim to be Christians, there’s no sitting on the edge and expecting our faith to be strong. We’re going to be distracted by what is going on in the world. We may be tempted to tone down our enthusiasm because we’re worried about what the world will think. We might feel offended if we hear an unbeliever criticizing our beliefs or, worse yet, we might scoot over and join them in cheering for many things we previously thought were wrong.

Now, I know this is a very weak analogy. The other team and its fans are not evil, and it’s not the end of the world if our team doesn’t win a football game.

But thinking spiritually, the stakes really are much higher. There is a battle going on between good and evil in the world. We need the help, encouragement, and support of other Christians if we’re going to win the battle. We can’t stay on the edge when it comes to our faith. We have to get right in there and give it our all.

Let’s make sure we’re cheering for the right team. (Go Panthers!)

“He [Christ] is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.” (Colossians 1:28-29 NIV)

Are you all in, or are you “sitting on the edge” as far as your faith goes? How can focusing on God help you to always cheer for the right team?