Colts/Browns Lesson #1
I learned some lessons while at the Colts/Browns game this past weekend. The first lesson I want to share came in the fourth quarter of the game. The Brown’s 2nd string quarterback, Derek Anderson, had to be carried off the field due to a torn MCL–a season-ending injury. This is a scary moment for any football player or any one in athletics for that matter. But what the matter worse was, as Derek lay on the ground in pain, the Browns’ fans crescendoed into one of the loudest cheers of the entire day. They were exuberant over the fact that Derek Anderson was hurt and couldn’t play!!!! A man’s season, career and livelihood are in question and people are cheering!!
My boys were completely bothered by this, along with many commentators later in the day. What group of people CHEER when their own man goes down? Can you imagine U.S. Marines giving each other high-fives when one of their comrades is shot? Of course not!!! It’s UNHEARD of!!!
Unless you are part of Church. (I use the BIG “C” Church to refer to many of us who claim to be Christ-followers and pride ourselves in our “church” attendance.) I say this because I have seen, too many times, people go through hard times our struggle with a debilitating sin and instead of helping each other, we usually:
- Gossip about the “fall” to other church people. Usually in the form of a “prayer request.”
- Distance ourselves from that person because we don’t want people to think we are a part of their problem.
- We “spiritually” glare, stare and/or point our fingers, with disgust, at the person who is spiritually wounded.
I once heard a pastor explain it well. He said, “the Church is the only group of people who shoot their wounded!” I haven’t forgotten that quote and the Browns’ fans reminded me of this even more just yesterday.
Here is what we can do, as followers of Christ, in helping our own who are wounded:
- Come alongside of them–quickly!! The more we wait the worse it is going to hurt.
- Instead of a criticizing attitude, approach the situation with a heart of compassion. It is the same attitude Christ had as he looked at the multitude.
- Pray, genuinely, pray for those who are hurting.
- Find practical ways you can help. Maybe it is researching help or even accompanying them through the recovery phases.
- Mainly, LOVE. We have all seen it in the movies and in the news. A soldier goes down and because of the LOVE they have for one another, they fight to get that fallen soldier to safety.
As a Church, it is not bad for us to share the same mantra as our soldiers–NEVER leave a soldier behind!!!!!
3 Comments
Ryan, I couldn’t agree with you more, and I’m so glad you’re speaking out the truth that is uncomfortable for all of us to hear. There are some wounded that I feel such compassion for and have no problem extending grace. But there are others that I cringe to find myself avoiding. When people are hurting, they aren’t always easy to love, but I want to love others the way Christ did and see them the way He sees them – broken, hurting, and in need, whether they realize it or not. Thanks for the reminder and encouragement. ~Bonita
Now you’ve done it! Going to get all of us Christians all worked up by stomping the #)(#@)$( out of our toes. Good job!
It’s sad but true, People deceive themselves by thinking that if they go to church they will get into heaven, but it’s not true! You will get into heaven by listening to what the preacher is trying to teach you, and asking Jesus to bring you with him, as unworthy as we are, but by the grace of God, and doing his will, we are promised a dwelling place there!
But we lazy Christians today, turn our heads while innocent children are being stolen from their homes, on lies, and ridicule… We coward down, instead of doing Gods work!
We as followers of Christ, should be realizing that we are all God’s children , and help the people that are being persecuted, instead of looking down on their false, because we all have sinned. Help them, and the children, and let God be their Judge! Because these families are not getting fair trials nor going to jail for their accused crimes! The children are being jailed in foster care, to be raped, abused, and then sent back to their original parents after the damage is done!!! And the State Protective Services is covering it up! and collecting all the money for their own pockets and to raise their own children on…
This is the Devils work, this earth is his playground, and he’s playing havoc on all families today! Worse than when the Roman (Government) fed the Christian’s to the lions, along with others, to amuse their power on the people whether they were with God or not…
Recognize the verse in the bible that says, Nothing is new! Everything has been from the beginning, the middle and the end, and it is rotating the old into the now…
My prayer for you today is; “Give them sight that they will see, give them ears that they might hear! And give them a quick swift kick in the pants, because today’s Christian’s are lazy ones for sure!
by
Diana Lyn Weese-Little
Professional writer-speaker w/ 50 years experience