Friday, September 2, 2011

Pentecost 12a - conclusion

The LSU Tigers and the Oregon Ducks are in Fort Worth, Texas for the Cowboy Classic. It’s easy to tell the difference. The Ducks are the ones molting in the Texas heat. The Tigers are purring in the low humidity. Of course it won’t matter when they play tomorrow in the Jerry Dome (the world’s largest sports bar) as it is air conditioned and the way the Dallas Cowboys play the temperature is always lukewarm. (Ouch!) Sport rivalries lead to all sorts of shenanigans and even pleasant people who give others the benefit of the doubt can act in ways unbecoming when scores are kept. It would appear that God is keeping score of rights and wrongs and holding Ezekiel responsible for recording them but would be willing to award extra points for hearts in the right place. The Psalmist dreads disgrace but delights in fair play and even if the outcome is less than favorable welcomes a judgment that is just. “Love does no wrong to neighbor” might not be in the playbook tomorrow but playing by the rules will be and in some ways that is the same thing. And finally the proscription for church discipline is obviously not the same as the regulated violence on the gridiron, but then again it would appear that a game based entirely on violence is able to control conflict whereas a movement based entirely on peace can’t seem to escape it. (Ouch!)

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