Is it okay that I think that the Buckeyes should have lost last night? I’m not going to turn this into a football analysis, but rather a spiritual analysis. Now I might be totally off base here, and that’s okay, I’ll eat my words if I have to, but I don’t think I’ll need to. So onto our analysis:
1. College football has turned into a cash cow. cow. calf. golden calf. need I say more?
2. College football players are made into larger than life people.
3. Winning is part of a crucial aspect of happiness or fulfillment within a college career
Notice anything? It’s a form of idolatry. Now, anything these days can be considered a form of idolatry given that there’s enough attention being attributing to it. We have workaholics, people who are addicted to making it big in their careers. Success has become their idol. People try to establish large social networks around themselves to build themselves up. Fame has become their idols. By themselves, achieving these things are great (given that the credit and glory be bestowed upon God) but without focus they can rapidly become idolizing things.
More than ever, especially on the campus of Ohio State, a whole culture has grown and developed where the wins and loses of the football dictate the general mood soon thereafter. Obviously if you have a vested interest in something and it doesn’t come out the way you expect it, you will be depressed, however, my point is this: Some people mope around and are clearly/seriously affected by a lose to the point where a location’s presence has been altered. Case in point: Whenever Ohio State loses a game, especially if its in the afternoon, and there is still daylight out, you can walk up and down the streets (namely east of High) and notice right away a definite change of mood. People are inside and not out. Doors are shut. It’s a ghost town. In contrast, when Ohio State wins, doors are flung wide open and people are high fiving each other like there is no tomorrow. you hear “O-H” and “I-O’s”. It’s a festive atmosphere.
I wonder what it would look like if a campus like this was truly transformed by the power of Jesus. What would it look like when people are no longer devastated by loses, and instead of flipping cars (it happened over Michigan) shook hands with their opposing schools and said “well done. good game.” What would happen to a campus that encountered the culture changing power of Jesus? Instead of keg parties on a Wednesday night, or the drunk one night stands, or a life of “happiness” through shopping and having the latest stuff. Instead of all of that, why not the peace of Christ that transcends all understanding? Why not a relationship with Jesus that can truly be satisfying? So that you don’t have to go through the peaks and troughs of a thing/person that will always fail you in the end. I don’t trust the Buckeyes to ensure my happiness, Jesus already does that for me.
