Football is Indeed Holy

I try not to be the kind of person that is cynical and obnoxiously opinionated and most of all a judgemental person of faith. Sunday I realized, every fall, I have been all of the above.

Chris and I were sitting at a bar, (outside bar with masks on) waiting for our lunch as our beloved Steelers took the field. I have no idea who it was, but as they ran out of the tunnel, one player pointed to the sky and made the sign of the cross. Normally, I would have scoffed and said either aloud (oh far too many times...) or mumbled under my breath, "Good grief." (I'm trying to make my typical comments G rated here) "That is so sacrilegious. God isn't going to intervene and help you win this game. God has way more important things to do than deal with a football game." (More important things like deal with hypocritical, judgemental priests...) Well, apparently this weekend God was dealing with me because that's not at all what I thought.

Instead, I thought about how wrong I have been. `First, I have no idea what the faith is of these people I have criticized. I have no idea where their hearts are. I have no idea whether they are praying to God to help them win or whether, hold your hat--or your helmet, they are pledging to play to the best of their ability using the talent given to them by God. I have no idea if they are promising God to play to bring God glory. Bottom line, I have no idea...

Colossians 3:17 says, "and whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." and 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God." So, why doesn't that include football? And who am I to limit God--to judge how much, how many things, God has the capacity to deal with at one time. (Spoiler alert--the answer is an infinite number of things.) Who am I to decide what "important things" God chooses to pay attention to?

I beleive ironing is holy as I pray for those who will wear the clothes or sleep under the sheets I'm ironing. I believe doing my best in any and everything I do, is holy because God is holy and God is present in all things. So yeah, I have changed my mind. God cares about football and football is indeed holy.