Reality is Christ

So lately there has been quite a lot of talk about football. It's interesting to me, because on the one hand I have people in my life who just absolutely borderline hate people who talk too much about football and would condemn them, and then on the other hand I know quite a few people who just live for the game, and that's all they talk about and by simple observation, one would think that's all they care about. The goal of this post isn't to continue to bash people for liking a game, and it isn't to hate on people who (probably correctly) think that the over importance placed on football is detrimental. What I'd like to point out is something I was reminded last night at church: if your heart is right, then your actions will follow.

"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things are created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible,  whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together." - Col 1:15-16

What would that look like in the believer's heart? If Christ were the center would be dominate our conversations with football? (or any of the idols we prop up to distract us from worshiping the one true God) The difficultly lies not in recognizing that Christ is the center, but making him the center mentally. It's easy to say, but working out his relevance in our own lives is the tough part. The simple version of this is that Christ should be exemplified in everything, and the easiest way to accomplish that is to make him first in our hearts. If His glory is what I am concerned about, then the laundry list of things I should or shouldn't be doing will take care of itself. All this to say that the game of football is good, and we ruin it when we make it more important than God. You can like the game, just love God more.

Also a word of warning would be this: don't be so self righteous in your cause to purge the world of football loving Christians that you miss your own sin. Don't get caught up in pointing out other's sin, and miss your own. While the love of football is a problem, consider how your rebuke puts Christ in the center. If you're pointing the believer to Him in love, then keep on, but if your correcting their actions just to be on the right side of the legalistic line, then you should be ashamed of yourself, and repent.