02 November 2015

Humble Privilege

Yesterday I travelled to Rotorua, New Zealand to meet with friends at the Calvary Chapel Bible Institute.  It just so happened Australia played New Zealand in the World Cup Rugby Union final for the first time in history.  As with most teams who face the legendary “All Blacks,” a respectable effort from the Aussies ended up as second best.  For the first time ever, a team has won the World Cup back-to-back, and with it “bragging rights” for the next four years.

The term “bragging rights” is an interesting one.  The concept in the sporting world is when your team wins and you “have scoreboard,” you have the right to remind others of your victory and their defeat when it pleases you.  It occurred to me that bragging is never good when it springs from a root of pride, and the scoreboard says it all.  Better than being proud over our personal accomplishments or those of the teams we support, the biblical approach is to consider the humble privilege of competing in lieu of boasting.

Since my hiatus from organised sport as I rehabilitated my surgically repaired knee, I have seen even the opportunity to compete as a gift of God.  Even when my team struggles or I do not achieve what I consider a respectable standard, I should be grateful to God for the opportunity to compete and be thankful for the opposition (regardless of their attitude), umpires (regardless of their questionable calls), gear, and grounds (regardless of the condition) which makes the game possible.

As a child of God, I have the privilege and responsibility to walk in humility before God and men – even on the sporting fields.  Instead of taunting, criticising others, or indulging in my “bragging rights,” I ought to honour God by attitudes which reflect His grace.  I can live out the joyful humble privilege, thanking God for every opportunity He supplies whether as a competitor in the arena or a spectator.  God is not interested in making competitive people catatonic and careless, but to bring the flesh under the power of His Spirit that we might honour and glorify Him with more fervency still.

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