All Things

1 Corinthians 3: 22 ‘…whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future-all are yours…’

A Scottish soccer manager once said, “Football isn’t about life or death – it’s much more important than that.” His name was Bill Shankly, who coached the world-famous English soccer team Liverpool. He was a hero of mine when I was growing up and to many people, he was the best soccer coach who ever lived.

When I heard him say that about football, I agreed with him at the time. Soccer is a highly competitive sport which brings out a lot of wildness and passion amongst its supporters. American football has legions of zealous fans throughout the States, but honestly a soccer crowd in Britain, even for a minor league, has much more heart and zeal for their team. Football games over here are wonderfully loud, wildly exhilarating, and absolutely fantastic to attend, but British soccer games have all that and are also dangerous. I can remember being at soccer matches where fans ended up in pitch battles behind the stadium during the game! Sadly, sometimes someone lost his life just for wearing team colors. That’s why Bill Shankly said what he did. That’s why I believed it at that time.

These days I don’t agree with Shankly’s statement. Soccer is just a game and life is much more than that. Millions of people will tune in to the National College Championship Game tonight but in the end, no matter who wins or loses, it’s still just a game. Being #1 in the BCS or supporting the team that wins the game won’t bring anyone nearer or closer to God (even if a lot of prayers are said during the last two minutes of the game). The outcome won’t affect our salvation – why? Because life and faith are infinitely worth more than a National Championship game or even a Superbowl. As Paul states in his letter, all things are ours when we are of Christ – football can’t ever give us everything.

So, we may sit back and enjoy tonight’s game, or we may do something else, but no matter how involved we are, there is only one thing that is greater than life or death and that is faith in Jesus Christ, our everlasting Savior.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, there are many distractions in our lives that can make us passionate, zealous and fanatical. In the end, these things pass away and have no place in eternity. We may cheer our teams loudly and attend their games, but even the best coaches and most successful champions in the world can’t bring us eternal salvation. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.