The Joy of the game...

Here's something that makes me so annoyed I yell at my TV- athletes and sports broadcasters that start to take themselves "just a little too seriously". They put on a suit and become overly critical and humorless...spouting statistics and "formulas"...start to use phrases like "the pageantry of the sport"...spend their time pointing out what other athletes are doing "wrong" and forget that their job is (at it's core) to talk about games that children play at recess in grade school. I know sports has become "big business" but I still find myself yelling , "Dude, lighten up...you get to hit a baseball for a living, talk about a game for a living, strap on skis and go really fast down a mountain for a living, drive a race car, or for God Sakes pedal a freakin' child's BMX bike down a ramp for a living! Shouldn't that be just a little bit fun? Shouldn't you remember just a little bit how lucky you are to "play the game"?

I get that same frustrated feeling when I hear Christians...both Pastors and "Pew Sitters" start to take themselves too seriously. When they become overly critical and humorless...spouting creeds and "systems"...start to think that their duty is to judge whether others are "correct in their doctrine"...somehow forget that our best theological ideas are like knock knock jokes to the Almighty!... I know eternity is "serious business" but shouldn't there be a little joy in being forgiven? Joy in being allowed to be part of God's kingdom plan for earth...whether we "understand it all" or not? Shouldn't there be a little humility and humor in realizing that God actually takes pleasure and pride in using flawed men and women to carry out his flawless plan? Shouldn't we feel just a little happy just to be able to "play the game"?

Maybe that's why Jesus said if we wanted to be part of the kingdom we need to be like little children. Otherwise, we "grow up" and forget the joy of the game...

3 Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.

Matthew 18:3 (New Living Translation)