Perspective
Volume 3, Day 275
What do Paris in 1998, Rio de Janeiro in 2002, Rome in 2006, Madrid in 2010 and Berlin in 2014 have in common? They were all places of wild celebration as their national football teams lifted the World Cup. Parties lasted long into the night following the Finals, and convoys of cars with horns blaring drove around the cities, flags waving in praise of their teams.
In 1998 the President of France gave one of the country’s highest civilian awards—the Legion of Honour—to the French football team. He said their victory had brought great happiness and shown that France could be a winning nation. Wherever they went, they were treated as heroes.
It is right to celebrate the achievements of our football teams, sportsmen, our families and our nations. Yet there is a line that we must be careful not to cross. The Bible tells us that God made us to know Him and praise Him as our Creator. In His Word, He instructed, “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3).
Enthusiasm at a football match and pride in your team are good things. Yet we need to make sure that our praise, worship and allegiance is given only to God so that we don’t make the mistake of putting other things in His place.
Author
Kevin Gregory
