Someone much, much wiser than me once said:
You have heard that the law of Moses says, 'Do not murder. If you commit murder,
you are subject to judgment.' But I say, if you are angry with someone, you are
subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being
brought before the high council. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of
the fires of hell.
So if you are standing before the altar in the Temple, offering a sacrifice to God,
and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your
sacrifice there beside the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come
and offer your sacrifice to God. Come to terms quickly with your enemy before it
is too late and you are dragged into court, handed over to an officer, and thrown
in jail. I assure you that you won't be free again until you have paid the last penny.
Matthew 5:21-26, new living translation
Now, far be it from me to impress my beliefs on anyone but I do know that I was playing alongside men who I can call brothers because of the grace of God. It is to those brothers that I address these thoughts.
How can it be that from the same mouth come prayers to God, praise and worship devoted to Him, as well as words soaked in hatred, stained with malice? How dare we call upon His holy Name and, in the same means, lash out vocally at another? (James 3:1-12)
Can light and darkness exist in the same place? No.
We were all there on Monday 3rd January 2005 at the game with the Old Men and we all know what went on. Frankly, I was frustrated, I was annoyed and, to be honest, I was close to walking of the pitch. No, not at the ref's calls or at the fact that we were behind for most of the game. I was ready to give up on the game because of the reactions of some of the team in which I was a member.
I know things were said and people might have been provoked to act the way they did or say the things they said. But that doesn't matter! Provocation is not an excuse for retaliation... it never is! If that were not so, then Jesus Christ had more reason than anyone to fight back. But look at His reaction: He didn't even argue back! He was like a lamb, not a sheep. Sheep struggle and fight back; lambs accept what's coming, they do not struggle nor do they fight.
Don't get me wrong - I do not want to come across as pious, holy or self-righteous. I stand under the same authority that you, who are my brother, stand under (voluntarily!) and I am saying this out of concern, in love and with hope.
There were people playing in that game and watching from the sidelines who are not saved. I want to challenge you: how has your witness of Christ to these people been affected by your actions and/or your words during/after the game? Perhaps this is too far... how is your closeness to He who spilt His own blood so you wouldn't have to been affected?
What we were playing was merely a game. It was meant to be good fun and is a great way to bring those who don't go to church into good friendship with those who do. I don't believe that Monday reflected that aim. Regardless of our day job, we are in the business of saving souls from the unspeakable, aren't we?
I'm not going to tell anyone what to do. I'm not going to treat anyone differently. Unless it's brought up, I won't even mention this again. It's up to you now - the ball is in your half of the pitch. If you recognise Jesus Christ as your Saviour and call Him Lord, I urge you to ask Him through His Holy Spirit to make plain to you any fault that is yours. Ask Him to forgive and ask Him for guidance in sorting it out.
But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong.
1 John 1:9, new living translation
I give this to you, my brother, in and through the Name of He who alone saves, Jesus Christ.
Marky.