Yes, the Super Bowl is going to be here in a few days…and if you’re like me and your team didn’t make it in (my home team is the Baltimore Ravens) you may not care much about which team to root for. Or maybe you do. Either way, we are a nation of sports fanatics, especially when it comes to football. Wouldn’t it be great if we could be that passionate about our religious or spiritual beliefs? Have you asked yourself lately, what do I believe in when it comes to my faith…and what am I doing to act in that faith and stand up for my beliefs? Anything?
I recently had the opportunity to “walk the walk” last Friday at the 47th Annual March for Life in Washington, DC. Of course, leading up to the event, I wavered in my commitment to going. I had a lot of work that wouldn’t get done that day if I went. It would be a very long, strenuous and possibly cold day, I reasoned, and who would really care if I – one more person amid the half million people attending – actually walked? Couldn’t I just post about it on social media from the comfort of my home? But in the end none of that sat well with me, so I did go because I realized if every person came up with those excuses, no one would march! And let me tell you, marching up Capitol Hill with hundreds of thousands of others all dedicated to the desire to end abortion was an experience like no other…it was peaceful, joyful and I truly felt part of something much bigger than myself…something of and for life, humanity, God.
I’m glad I chose to not only root for the Pro-Life team but to “play” for it. I know that each day affords us the opportunity not only to suit up and show up but to ask God what His will is for us. Every day also gives us chances to take action, whether it be in little things like letting a car go in front of us in traffic, picking up a piece of trash in our path, giving someone a ride, calling someone who needs to talk or donating a few dollars to someone in need, or bigger things like guiding, training, teaching, coaching, helping, serving or working for others to make this world a better place. It’s important that we not only root for others who are doing good works, but use our own talents to do them as well.
As Saint Paul says, we need to be “bold.” And even if we fall down, fail or even lose in our efforts, we know God will help us to get back up, start over, learn from our mistakes and get back in the game – and we also know we will win in the end. “Because of Christ and our faith in Him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.” -2 Corinthians 3:12
Dear God, help me to act boldly to get up off the sidelines of life, to not only sit by rooting, but to stand up for Your team and get in the game of doing Your Will and building Your Kingdom.
