World Cup soccer is kinda like faith
I never played soccer growing up. I remember having a nerf soccer ball at one point that I kicked around interchangeably with my nerf football, but soccer never was part my core passion for sports.
Now that I work in the evenings I'm always looking for live sports coverage on TV during the day, mostly because watching other people sweat makes my time on the treadmill go faster. Sports highlights work too, but I really enjoy getting lost in a live game. There was no baseball on during the day yesterday and I had grown tired of watching ESPN News loop the coverage about Ben Roethlisberger's motorcycle accident (God speed, Ben), so I flipped over to ESPN 2's coverage of World Cup soccer. The U.S./Czech Republic game sucked me in initially, but now I think I'm hooked no matter who is playing. It didn't take long.
The U.S. got blown out yesterday, but it's actually kind of exciting to watch a sport in which teams other than the U.S. are superior. I don't know why I dig that, but I do. I guess I've grown tired of the U.S. ego. I'll cheer for the U.S. on Saturday against Italy of course, but if Brazil wins the World Cup as expected, I'll be equally thrilled for them.
Here's the point of this soccer-infused ramble. I watched Switzerland and France play to a 0-0 tie this morning. Ninety minutes of soccer and not one goal. Now I'm watching Croatia and Brazil, and Brazil finally scored a goal in the 44th minute of the match. Just one goal in over 134 minutes of running, panting, kicking, and sweating. Just like faith. I certainly do a whole lot more running, panting, kicking, and sweating in my spiritual life than I do jumping for joy after a goal/spiritual payoff. The spiritual scores do happen, but I think the majority of our journeys are spent working toward them. And as soon as we achieve one, the whistle blows and we're working toward the next one. It's exhausting. And yet so incredibly worthwhile.
In a society that's all about instant winners, quick fixes, and immediate gratifications, it's fun to cheer for endurance. The Dallas Mavericks are in a similar situation right now. They've worked for 26 years to reach the NBA finals, and now after an 82-game regular season, they're on the brink of the big payoff. Hurray for endurance.
In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 Paul says:
24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
Just like the World Cup soccer players, we continue on because of our passion. The little victories may or may not come, but it's comforting to know that, with endurance, the ultimate prize will come in the end. I think there's even a crowd cheering us on, if we can tune in closely enough to hear it.
Endurance is harder during some periods than others, but again, so incredibly worthwhile.
Now that I work in the evenings I'm always looking for live sports coverage on TV during the day, mostly because watching other people sweat makes my time on the treadmill go faster. Sports highlights work too, but I really enjoy getting lost in a live game. There was no baseball on during the day yesterday and I had grown tired of watching ESPN News loop the coverage about Ben Roethlisberger's motorcycle accident (God speed, Ben), so I flipped over to ESPN 2's coverage of World Cup soccer. The U.S./Czech Republic game sucked me in initially, but now I think I'm hooked no matter who is playing. It didn't take long.
The U.S. got blown out yesterday, but it's actually kind of exciting to watch a sport in which teams other than the U.S. are superior. I don't know why I dig that, but I do. I guess I've grown tired of the U.S. ego. I'll cheer for the U.S. on Saturday against Italy of course, but if Brazil wins the World Cup as expected, I'll be equally thrilled for them.
Here's the point of this soccer-infused ramble. I watched Switzerland and France play to a 0-0 tie this morning. Ninety minutes of soccer and not one goal. Now I'm watching Croatia and Brazil, and Brazil finally scored a goal in the 44th minute of the match. Just one goal in over 134 minutes of running, panting, kicking, and sweating. Just like faith. I certainly do a whole lot more running, panting, kicking, and sweating in my spiritual life than I do jumping for joy after a goal/spiritual payoff. The spiritual scores do happen, but I think the majority of our journeys are spent working toward them. And as soon as we achieve one, the whistle blows and we're working toward the next one. It's exhausting. And yet so incredibly worthwhile.
In a society that's all about instant winners, quick fixes, and immediate gratifications, it's fun to cheer for endurance. The Dallas Mavericks are in a similar situation right now. They've worked for 26 years to reach the NBA finals, and now after an 82-game regular season, they're on the brink of the big payoff. Hurray for endurance.
In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 Paul says:
24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
Just like the World Cup soccer players, we continue on because of our passion. The little victories may or may not come, but it's comforting to know that, with endurance, the ultimate prize will come in the end. I think there's even a crowd cheering us on, if we can tune in closely enough to hear it.
Endurance is harder during some periods than others, but again, so incredibly worthwhile.
posted by Jen Austin at 2:47 PM
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