WWJD: Who Would Jesus Deck?
Category: Faith... Local... Society & Culture... Sports (Pro/College/HS)...
Posted Sunday, November 20, 2005 at 06:02 PM [GMT-6]

Update (11/22/05): Yesterday, TCAL officials awarded the state football championship to our local high school team, and mailed the trophy to the school. We probably shouldn't read anything into the fact that the TCAL website makes no mention of this.

Yesterday, one of our local high school football teams was playing for the state championship in its league. Unfortunately, after fights broke out in two consecutive plays, the game was suspended by the referees, and it remains to be seen what the final outcome will be. Our local team had a significant lead when the game was suspended shortly into the second quarter.

The championship being contested was that of the TCAL...the Texas Christian Athletic League, a statewide association of private Christian schools.

The more I think about this, the more it bothers me. If Christians wonder why they're making such a small impact in society today, they need look no further than this example to get a clue.

Here's what the coach of the local team was quoted as saying about the game: ""We were not the cause of this," Jauz said. "We were only trying to defend ourselves."

Well. Who could argue with "trying to defend ourselves"? Oh, let's see. How about the person for whom the athletic league is named, none other than Jesus Christ? That defense doesn't seem to square very well with what Jesus said here:

...bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. [Luke 6:28-30 NIV]

Oh, but he didn't mean that literally, did he? Well, I'll leave that to you to work out with God, if you're so inclined to question Him about it. But you can be sure that the world at-large is watching to see how you answer that question, if you're a follower of Christ, and if your faith doesn't distinguish you from anything else it sees, you can't blame it if it questions the value of that faith.

I don't know how the TCAL controversy will be resolved and frankly, I don't care. Both teams forfeited their right to be honored as "champions" according to the criteria that truly matter, and that's truly regrettable.

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Comments

I hear you, bro.

That's a sad story. I see the same kinds of things in our own local softball league, a church league. The overall sportsmanship is just lousy. I won't even go to the games, it makes me sick.

The words of Paul apply here I think: The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? (1 Cor 6:7)

Posted by: Jim at November 20, 2005 06:35 PM

Jim, that's another great Scripture reference; thanks for reminding me.

I played one season in a church softball league in the Dallas area. I guess I was naive going in, but it was one of the most eye-opening experiences of my life...and not in a positive way.

Posted by: Eric at November 20, 2005 06:44 PM

Great minds think alike.......I think.

Posted by: Wallace-Midland, Texas at November 20, 2005 08:43 PM

Eric, one of your more thought-provoking posts this week ...

And, also, provocative ... I'm sure there are a few Charger faithful out there who will not appreciate the point you make ... provided they even get it, to begin with ...

A sad incident ... I like to think it's the exception ... though, I must admit, there are days when it seems to be the rule ...

Posted by: Jeff at November 20, 2005 10:34 PM

Jeff, I'm puzzled about what's so "provocative" in what I wrote, unless it's the implication that students at a Christian school should endeavor to exhibit Christ-like behavior.

Posted by: Eric at November 21, 2005 08:18 AM

Eric, what I meant was that your post might provoke - to anger - those who would accept and endorse the comment you quoted from the article ... those who would applaud the action the youngsters took on the field.

On the other hand, the post might also provoke some in a positive way ... encourage them to re-assess the Scriptural passage you quoted ... and, perhaps, reaffirm their commitment to practice what He preached ...

I realize that not everyone whose children attend Trinity have made that affirmation of faith ... but it is also - from an a-religious perspective - a sensible ethic of sportsmanship and morality to take onto the field ...

Posted by: Jeff at November 21, 2005 10:04 AM

a sensible ethic of sportsmanship and morality to take onto the field

Forgive me for chiming in on your conversation with Eric, Jeff. I think your point is a good one. The ethic you refer to just makes sense. And its violation in any context points to a failure of something, somewhere.

In a Christian context, and regardless of any individual student's personal creed the TCAL is such a context, this failure is all the more reprehensible.

I'll refer to Paul again who says, "provoke one another to love and good works." If Eric's post provokes in that kind of way, as you said, whether intentional or not, he's doing the TCAL a service.

We need that kind of provoking here in PA as well.

Posted by: Jim at November 21, 2005 10:46 AM

Jeff, I understand what you're saying. Perhaps if more people were willing to stand up publicly and state that they expect higher standards of behavior from our student athletes, whether they're on teams from Christian or public schools, the coaches would make it a point to teach the discipline required to behave with exemplary class.

Posted by: Eric at November 21, 2005 12:23 PM

Ever hear Tim Wilson's "Church League Softball Fist Fight" song? It pretty wells sums it up. Music clip from available at Amazon.

Posted by: Larry S at November 22, 2005 10:55 AM

Larry, I had not heard that song before...very funny, in a sad kind of way.

I'm not sure I want to know how you discovered that album, by the way. ;-)

Posted by: Eric at November 22, 2005 12:12 PM
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