Rules; What Rules?
Scripture of the Week: II Timothy 2:5 “ Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules.”
If you have not heard about “Inflate-gate”, then you probably are not a big sports fan. The New England Patriots are under investigation for deflating eleven out of twelve footballs in the first half of their win over the Colts two weeks ago. In a time when the Middle East is in turmoil and domestically we face our own challenges, Inflate-gate tops the news! Is it a big deal? In some respects it is because sports drive a large portion of our culture.
Baseball may be America’s pastime, but the NFL rules in terms of media and promotion. The Super Bowl is almost a national holiday. Thank God the game doesn’t start in the morning. It would pose an ethical choice for Christians. Would we sacrifice worship for chips, cold drinks, commercials and football? On the issue of Inflate-gate, I observe that people lean one way or another depending on whether you like or dislike the Patriots. I confess, I like the Patriots and I am hoping that the coach and the team leader are not responsible for breaking the rules. I have heard that all teams do things to get an edge against their opponents. Does that make it right? Do rules matter? It would be hard to play any game or sport without rules. Life is the same way. God has laid down rules for us to follow. One rule is that we must rest from work. The Sabbath or now Sunday for the Church is a gift from the creator. He rules that His creatures are to have fifty two vacation days to rest from work. If we do not rest, we will experience a numerous amount of hardships. God’s rules are for our benefit. They help us play the game of life with liberty, joy and meaning. As a recovering sinner, I realize that in my own strength, I cannot do a perfect job in following God’s rules. In fact, I do a pretty bad job without relying on His power and grace. I confess I am a work in progress, and I need to stay in touch with Jesus so He can teach me how to do a better job. The rules of the game for the Gospel is faith, hope and love. We are to put our trust in Jesus for our standing with God. Our hope of the Kingdom which is validated by the resurrection of Christ, is our goal that gives life purpose and meaning. Our love is the love of Spirit as we choose to be like Jesus in word and action. Let us continue to live by the rules of the game and win the prize of a life well done! P.S. Go Patriots!
