Thoughts from the Super Bowl

This past Sunday, we once again witnessed the American cultural icon, the Super Bowl.  What began forty-fives years ago as a game between two rival sports leagues has now become the must-see event of our culture.  If you ever want to see the impact of the Super Bowl, go shopping during the Super Bowl.  You will have the store to yourself.  Or drive on the deserted streets of your city during that time.  Life revolves around this one event in our culture and everything bends to the will of the National Football League.

Having said all that, I wanted to share an insight from this year's event.  I could mention the close finish and talk about the struggles we are facing and how God will give us a victory.  I could mention the injuries that did not keep the Packers from coming out victorious, reminding us that we may be hurt, but God will strengthen us to persevere to the end.  I could mention the mangled version of the National Anthem and talk about how many times we as Christians mangle the worlds' view of Jesus because of our sin and hypocrisy.  I could have mentioned seeing the game for the first time on High definition TV and how disconcerting it was to see announcers in high def, seeing every wrinkly and age spot.  The Bible is the high def view into our own soul because it lays bare every flaw, sin and attitude not pleasing to God.  I could talk about the celebrations by Packer fans across the nation and remind us that as followers of Christ we are victorious and we can celebrate every day!

However, there was one potent moment during this event which struck me even deeper than any other.  My six year old son was watching part of the game with us.  You see, our TV at home has no cable, dish or satellite and we can't even pick up regular channels.  So to see the game, we had to go to a friend's home.  This means my family and I rarely see any commercials.  Some of the commercials during the game were funny, others plain boring, but one commercial was embarrassing.  The commercial could have rated as soft core porn as a man and woman began to act as if they were being intimate.  At this point, I turned my son away from the TV and I joined him.  In the presence of mixed company, it was a very uncomfortable moment brought on by this "commercial".  At the end, we found out the sponsor was Sketchers and they were advertising their latest shoes.  I was not shocked by this commercial because I'm sure there are many other commercials which have much stronger sexual content than this.  However, it was a deep reminder of one of the main reasons we don't have cable or the Dish.  I wondered how many Christians would be so sensitized to sexual innuendo and suggestion that they would not even flinch at this commercial.  You may even be reading this blog and think, "Ted, you are such a prude and live such a sheltered life.  Get out into the real world".

I am reminded of what the Bible says in I John 2:15:  "Do not love the world or anything in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For everything in the world - the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does - comes not from the Father but from the world.  The world and its desires will pass away, but the man who does the will of God will live forever."

As followers of Christ, we are aliens and strangers in this world.  When we get too comfortable in world, it is usually a sign that we have some serious compromises.  God will not share His possessions with anyone or anything, and we are His possessions.  We need to guard our eyes and our desires, because they can either lead us to passionately follow Jesus or to blindly be led into destruction.  Marriages falter because the eyes of ones spouse wander towards pornography or a handsome co-worker or a woman at the gym.  The eyes open the door for the heart to be deceived.  Certainly, we live in a fallen world and America is a country obsessed with sex.  However, our call is to rise above and enjoy the things which are eternal - Those thing which will last. 

What are your eyes viewing?  How are you guarding your heart, even as you are on-line today?  What is your passion in life?  May your passion always be to serve the Lord and His purposes.