It’s just a game. This phrase is considered sacrilege, blasphemous words, in the culture in which I live. You see, I live in the heart of Alabama where college football reigns. Over the past three years the fans in our state have had much to cheer about: Three national championships, two SEC championships, and two Heisman trophy winners. It should be a time of incredible excitement, but that has been somewhat squashed by the horrible decisions, attitudes, and words of some fans. Hundred year old landmark trees have been poisoned, fights broken out, vandalism taken place, and people have even been assaulted over this “game.” This past week, a video surfaced of fans abusing physically and sexually a fan from an opposing team who had passed out drunk. It ceased being “just a game” a long time ago for some people. Many of us are appalled at the extreme way some people take this game, but there is a subtle danger in this game for all of us to guard against.
If this game has taken control over our lives, then we need to reevaluate our attachment to it. It’s one thing to be disappointed, but it’s another thing to be so totally overcome by a loss (or a win by the other team) that we cannot think or function normally. As Paul said, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful… I will not be enslaved by anything” (1 Corinthians 6:12). This should tell us that the game has taken too big of place in our hearts and minds. We do not have to bow down before a statue made of gold or silver to be guilty of idolatry. Do we give more significance to a game with our love, zeal, possessions, energy, and time than we do to God? If we have trouble getting motivated to worship on Sunday because our team won or lost on Saturday, we have a real problem. There are t-shirts that proclaim, “Football Is Life,” and sometimes we act like it is. Christ is the life of Christians (Colossians 3:3-4), not some game. What does our life, speech, and thoughts reflect?
When this game interferes with our character as Christians, there is a real problem. Some songs and cheers contain words that have no place in the vocabulary of a Christian. Being at a game does not suddenly make filthy words, crude jokes, and foolish talk okay (Ephesians 5:4). Sadly, I have seen too many Facebook pictures of Christians at sporting events dressed immodestly and getting drunk. Also, during and after the game, there is a danger of bitter, jealous, and resentful feelings to take root in our hearts. Sometimes this is seen in the way we treat the opposing fan base and the things we say to them. A game is not worth abandoning the fruit of the Spirit to walk according the flesh (Galatians 5:19-26). At the end of this, notice what Paul says: “Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” If we sacrifice our character over a game, we are making that game more important than Christ in us, which is our only hope of real glory (Colossians 1:27)!
The Roman Empire had a saying: “Build a coliseum in every city and the Christians will forget about their God.” They understood that Christians could easily get sidetracked from serving God by recreation and sports. While this still holds true today, there is also another side of it. If we allow sports to cause us to forget about our spirituality, it is no longer just a game, but has become the thorns that choke out our growth and love for God (Mark 4:19). Perhaps this is a good time to step back and reevaluate our attachment to this game and its influence on our lives.