Like a bad football team …

The football game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Arizona Cardinals on Christmas Day was a thriller. The Cardinals pulled off a successful field goal by Jay Feely in the last five seconds of the game to squeak out a 27-26 win.

I happen to be an Arizona Cardinals (and San Francisco 49ers) fan, but I’m living just outside of Dallas. My location isn’t enough to change my team loyalties.

While living in Arizona as a kid, I grew up watching the Dallas Cowboys. At the time, Arizona didn’t have a professional football team, so a lot of the Cowboys games were broadcast. You could say my first football “fan” experience went to the Cowboys. But not any more.

It would make sense for me to be a Cowboys fan based on location. But there’s one problem: the Cowboys aren’t a very good team!

They have improved some since the coaching change this season, but the Cowboys haven’t been the Cowboys I grew up with in a long time. And the change hasn’t been for the better. Simply put, people don’t like to cheer for a bad team (unless you’re a Cubs fan).

The same is true for churches.

I’m convinced many, many people would embrace the kind of God we say we serve. The problem is, they just don’t see that God adequately reflected in His family. Some of the “teams” (local churches) are really quite poor. Many practice — at best — a mediocre faith, and are happy with that. But people are not attracted to mediocrity, they are drawn to excellence.

There is nothing compelling about a life that claims faith, yet is as empty, broken, and misguided as the rest. There’s nothing attractive about powerless, doubt-plagued, and fear-ridden lifestyles.

There’s nothing that draws us to a losing team … whether it’s on the field of football or the field of life.

By reading the end of the Bible, we see God wins. Big time! And so do those who serve Him. But by looking at some local churches, you would never tell they are a part of a winning team.

Jesus taught that an effective way to draw praise for God from those still “sitting in the stands” is to shine as a winning team. He described it this way:

“14 ‘You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father’.” (Matthew 5:14-16).

What is it about your life in Christ that draws the attention of others? How does your church excel and act as a compelling, vibrant community of faith? Or are you satisfied sitting on the bench of a mediocre team?

Scotty