I have been a bad Blog-Parent and have neglected Blog-baby for too long. What can I say...life, health, busy stuff....you know the score.
Anywhoozle, I'm in the middle of the school summer hols, the sun is shining (today, anyway), and we're doing something a little out of character, chez nous.
We're watching sport.
Do you have any idea how rare that is for us? You have to practically drag us kicking and screaming and tie us to chairs to make us watch football (with the obligatory exception of the World Cup- when we may actually deliberately look to see who won). Right now, of course, the Olympic Games are in full swing. There's something about the Olympics that grips even the unsporty among us. Something about the dedication and hope of athletes; the work and training; the 'Eyes on the Prize' determination, really touches that 'Be- The- Best- You -Can -Be' spirit within.
The idealism of it all is very stirring.
Not quite so stirring when you hear about the scandals of failed drugs tests, the arguments, the threats of banning, the condemnation of an entire government for their alleged endorsement of cheating, the criticism of money being spent on the trappings of hosting the event and so on. Those aspects leave a rather nasty taste in something that should be pure; the pinnacle of everything sportsmanship stands for. Kind of ruins it all.
Doesn't it?
Many people would disagree. Yes, there are some seedy aspects to some sporting events- and the Olympics is HUGE, so it isn't really a shock that the stakes are higher and the seediness, well, seedier. Does it stop us watching?
Nope.
Does it mean we all turn away from the Olympics on principal and refuse to have anything to do with something that has hints of corruption creeping around the edges?
Nope.
What does this guy have to do with sport, anyway? I'm glad you asked....
Why not?
Maybe it's because we all, deep (and not so deep) down desperately want to believe in something that is noble and fair and holds up the results of those who have pressed on and overcome. Perhaps we can see that the true spirit of the Games is alive and well in the majority of those taking part (trainers and 'behind the scenes' folk' as well as competitors). Maybe we simply look past the crappiness and focus on the glory.
Sounding a bit, y'know, Christian there for a moment!
Funny how sport and Christianity have such close ties, isn't it? Even the Bible uses sporting metaphors:
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
Or how about Hebrews 12 1-2:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Talk about eyes on the prize!
Have a snippet from 2 Timothy 2:5...
An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.
('Nuff said!)
I could easily quote a ton more.
There's something very familiar in the Way Of The Sports Fan, too. Devotion to a team or person. Wearing symbols of that support/ devotion outwardly to show their allegiance. Gathering with those of the same mindset/ allegiance and group singing of songs during that gathering (hey, don't deny it.....I've heard enough renditions of you'll Never Walk Alone to know it's true. Interesting choice of song, huh? :) ).
Thankfully there are some differences. I've never left our Methodist church with friends only to encounter another group leaving the local Anglican church and end up in a punch up with them. Not yet anyway!!!
The biggest difference, though, is the attitude I spoke of a bit earlier.
The world can look past the 'bad apples' in the Olympics and see the people who genuinely push on to do their best. It can look past the arguing and politics of the organisations in charge and focus on the athletes taking part. It can look past the issue of whether this is the best use of a country's money and throw itself into the spirit of the thing. It doesn't mean that no one cares about those issues, nor that nobody speaks out about them.....it's just that, on the whole, the world can recognise what the Olympics are meant to be about and celebrate the intention and the real purpose.
Wouldn't it be fantastic if the world could do the same with Christianity? If it could look past the failures of those who fall publicly and spectacularly (whether as individuals or as churches/ organisations); past the rather confused values of some churches and see the Spirit of it (pun intended)..the people who do their best to live out the truth of it...who really believe and let that belief change them. I don't mean that those failures shouldn't be challenged or the shortcomings not addressed and dealt with. It would just be great if the world could recognise what the Church is meant to be about-and celebrate the intention and real purpose.
Hell of a challenge for us, too, isn't it? I'm quite daunted at the idea of being someone who should be showing the best of the Church to the world. I fall over the hurdles rather more than I'd like. I'm not in tip-top spiritual condition and sometimes I grab the baton and promptly charge off in completely the wrong direction with it, leaving my team mates wondering what the blazes I'm doing.
I'm not entirely sure I listen as well as I should to the Trainer, either, if I'm honest.
I rather suspect that when it comes to entering the Great Stadium (I'm on a roll with the imagery now...don't try and stop me!), I'll be less Usain Bolt and more Dennis from 'Run, Fat Boy, Run'.*
Warm ups!Better dust off the trainers and Just Do It, I suppose!!!!
* (Ever seen Run Fat Boy, Run? Dennis is a guy who ends up committing himself to running in what's pretty much the equivalent of the London Marathon to, initially, impress his ex-girlfriend and mother of his son, (whom he jilted at the altar years before), and prove to her than he can actually see something through without quitting. He's out of shape and out of his league against his ex's new boyfriend who's an experienced runner, although a jerk. The more sensitive of you might not want to watch. It has some Naughty Words in it and a bare bum at the end. I know, right? Shocker!)
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