The time has finally come. Kick-off is approaching and soon college football will begin. Not everyone enjoys football, not everyone appreciates the NFL, but most of us see the beauty, pageantry and excitement of college sports—especially football.
So as we prepare for kick-off weekend, I thought I’d share three things I think College Football displays that is true for all of us.
1. We all value loyalty.
Sports have a way of bringing out the ferocity of team spirit in us, and no one is more loyal than a college football fan. Even the least interested in the game will don a team sweater and support their alma matter. Stadiums will be packed every weekend with people clothed (or lack thereof), painted and displaying their team colors. We support our schools, we cheer for our teams and even if we didn’t go to that school, we still support them–sometimes just because our mom went there or grandfather played there. There is something about this game that brings out a virtue we all love and long for—loyalty.
Does this teach us something about being made in “the image of God?”
2. We are all armchair quarterbacks.
At some point in the game we will shout, “Why would you do that?” or “Who made that call?” We all can see the game better, slower and clearer from our couch. But this isn’t just college football, we do this with our job, our church and even our God. We all think we could make a better decision than we’ve seen. Does this teach us something about how we all think we know better–we all have a “God complex”.
3. We all love victory.
There’s nothing quite like a hard fought battle on the field that ends in our team’s victory. Fans will storm the field, tear down goal posts, embrace complete strangers and scream like little girls all because they are so excited that their team has won. Personally, I know I have cried, I have danced and I have run out in the street like a crazy person just to show my excitement! Doesn’t this teach us how we are wired to want to be on the winning side? It reminds me how wonderful it is to serve a God who promises that in the end, we win the war against evil and death. We will one day dance on graves and sing songs of joy for our Savior–the ultimate victor.
So, whether or not you like football, we can still see truth and wisdom in it. So put on the queso, get out the chips, sit back and take in a game while thanking God; not just for this great time of year, but for the fact He’s in charge, He is faithful and He always wins.