Well, the Super Bowl is almost upon us. Many people are all worked up over this weekend. No doubt, the people who are the happiest about this year’s match-up are the good citizens of Baltimore and San Francisco.
Of course, there are some people who are avid football fans no matter which two teams happen to be playing. They will enjoy the game this Sunday just for sheer love of the sport.
For my part, I must confess that I have been a little less interested ever since the Atlanta Falcons were eliminated in the NFC Championship game a week ago. I will still watch the big game, to be sure, only with a little less enthusiasm now than might have been the case.
Hopefully, this sets me apart from those people who are simply rabid about their particular team. You know the type, I’m sure. They are not fans, but fanatics - in the truest since of the word. The tenor of their whole lives appears to be dependent upon the performance of their particular team on a given weekend.
Paul Powell tells the story about one such person…
A man was an avid Cowboy fan. He lived and died
with every game. But, when Jimmy Johnson left the
Cowboys he became disillusioned and thought the team
would fall apart. So, he gave up his option on his season
tickets. But, when the next season rolled around, the
Cowboys started doing very well. In fact, they did so well
they won their conference and were scheduled to play the
San Francisco 49ers for the division championship the next
week.
His interest in the Cowboys suddenly revived and
he began to try to get a ticket to the game. But, they were
extremely scarce. He finally located one ticket that cost
him $1,000. The day of the game came and the game was a complete sellout. There weren’t even scalpers out in the
parking lot trying to get rid of an extra seat. There were no
seats available.
He found his place, sat down, and anxiously waited
for the game to start. Kick off time came and he noticed
the seat next to him was vacant. Next to it was a neatly
dressed, middle-aged lady. He said to her, “I can’t
understand this seat being vacant. The game is a sellout. I
wonder what happened to the person who has this seat?”
The lady responded, “That’s my husband’s seat.” The
man responded, “Oh, where is he?” She replied, “He died.”
The man responded, “I’m sorry to hear that. But with
seats at a premium and the price so high, why didn’t you
bring a relative with you?” She replied, “I couldn’t. They’re all at the funeral.”*
Is football important? Yes! Especially in the south! Is football the most important thing in life? No! Especially for believers! So, enjoy the big game this Sunday evening. But as you do, ponder the words of the Apostle Paul in I Corinthians 6:12: "Everything is permissible for me" - but I will not be mastered by anything.
Indeed, for the believer, all things must be kept in their proper perspective.
*SOURCE: http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/docu
ment.php?id=146507
Of course, there are some people who are avid football fans no matter which two teams happen to be playing. They will enjoy the game this Sunday just for sheer love of the sport.
For my part, I must confess that I have been a little less interested ever since the Atlanta Falcons were eliminated in the NFC Championship game a week ago. I will still watch the big game, to be sure, only with a little less enthusiasm now than might have been the case.
Hopefully, this sets me apart from those people who are simply rabid about their particular team. You know the type, I’m sure. They are not fans, but fanatics - in the truest since of the word. The tenor of their whole lives appears to be dependent upon the performance of their particular team on a given weekend.
Paul Powell tells the story about one such person…
A man was an avid Cowboy fan. He lived and died
with every game. But, when Jimmy Johnson left the
Cowboys he became disillusioned and thought the team
would fall apart. So, he gave up his option on his season
tickets. But, when the next season rolled around, the
Cowboys started doing very well. In fact, they did so well
they won their conference and were scheduled to play the
San Francisco 49ers for the division championship the next
week.
His interest in the Cowboys suddenly revived and
he began to try to get a ticket to the game. But, they were
extremely scarce. He finally located one ticket that cost
him $1,000. The day of the game came and the game was a complete sellout. There weren’t even scalpers out in the
parking lot trying to get rid of an extra seat. There were no
seats available.
He found his place, sat down, and anxiously waited
for the game to start. Kick off time came and he noticed
the seat next to him was vacant. Next to it was a neatly
dressed, middle-aged lady. He said to her, “I can’t
understand this seat being vacant. The game is a sellout. I
wonder what happened to the person who has this seat?”
The lady responded, “That’s my husband’s seat.” The
man responded, “Oh, where is he?” She replied, “He died.”
The man responded, “I’m sorry to hear that. But with
seats at a premium and the price so high, why didn’t you
bring a relative with you?” She replied, “I couldn’t. They’re all at the funeral.”*
Is football important? Yes! Especially in the south! Is football the most important thing in life? No! Especially for believers! So, enjoy the big game this Sunday evening. But as you do, ponder the words of the Apostle Paul in I Corinthians 6:12: "Everything is permissible for me" - but I will not be mastered by anything.
Indeed, for the believer, all things must be kept in their proper perspective.
*SOURCE: http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/docu
ment.php?id=146507