FAITHFUL FANS

This past weekend millions of football fans watched the Superbowl played. What an exciting game it was to watch, especially for fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, fans of the Arizona Cardinals were left thinking how close they'd come to enjoying their first Superbowl Championship. I wonder how many fans spent this week saying, "if only this would've happened" or "they should've ran this play" or even "I could've done much better!". Across the United States no doubt many "Armchair Quarterbacks" rose up to criticize the team they so faithfully had once been supporting. That's the funny thing about sports fans. One moment their cheering for you and the next they're sneering at you. How quick the tide can change when things aren't going as well as some would like?

This is also a growing problem in churches today as fans or members cheer when programs are booming, attendance is up, offerings are high, and everyone is "winning". But just like in sports, sometimes it's hard if not impossible to stay at the top of the game. There's re-building phases, personnel changes, and down-right slow times of progress. But here's the thing. A true fan is a fan in good times and bad. They're always there to lend support and encourage their team. What kind of fan are you?

"but exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today", lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin" Hebrews 3:14

The great thing about a team is that despite who's on the field at the time, the rest of the players are on the sidelines cheering them on. One thing the players on the sidelines know is that they must be prepared to run onto the field when they're called, ready to contribute to the effort. Churches are full of people who are actively doing the best they can to serve God. Sometimes they're going full steam ahead and sometimes the tank is running a little low. Church leaders, youth leaders, teachers, music teams, and every other member of the church needs "YOU" cheering them on to the "End zone", to the finishing line!

It can be so easy to find ourselves yelling "for" one another one moment and then "at" another the next. Let us as a team look upon each other with the same love and compassion that Christ would show us? No matter what the scoreboard says at the end of the day, we are VICTORS together with Jesus Christ. GO TEAM!!