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A few weeks ago, I took several days of vacation so that I could drive down to Billings and attend the Divisional A Basketball Tournament. This event is a highlight of my year. I am an absolute Blue Ponies basketball fan!
At that four-day event both the Blue Ponies boys and girls teams qualified to compete in the State A Basketball Tournament. I had been wrestling with the idea of whether or not to attend that event. When both teams qualified for state, my decision was just about made.
When a friend of mine from another town indicated that he wanted to attend state with me and that we could share hotel costs, my decision was made - I would definitely be going to state! So I took several more days of vacation last week and headed to Missoula to attend the State A Basketball Tournament. I was so excited to watch the Havre boys "make some noise" at that tournament - and they did not disappoint! I was so proud of them for making it there and then winning their first game. What a joy! What a treat! Of course I was cheering for the girls team to again win state, which they did - Go Blue Ponies! If you want great write-ups about those games, Havre Daily News publisher/sports editor George Ferguson has done a terrific job - so read those articles.
By now you are probably beginning to wonder, "What in the world does this have to do with a religious page article?" Be patient - I'm getting there.
When I go to these divisional and state basketball events, I attend every game and watch every team. Sometimes I will even cheer for another town's team - but not nearly as loud as I cheer for the Blue Ponies. As I was sitting with another team's crowd of fans, I noticed something very disturbing to me. There was way more yelling at the referees than there was cheering for the boys and girls playing ball. This happened at every game that this town's team played in. I almost couldn't handle sitting with them. ... Did that kind of "cheering" encourage those basketball players at all? I think not!
When I cheer for the Blue Ponies, I am not far from the players' bench. I know that I am loud and noticeable. Obviously, the boys and girls teams know that I am there cheering them on. In fact, a side note, the Tuesday morning I left for Missoula, a knock came on my house door and a gift bag was delivered to me with an under armor Blue Pony long-sleeved shirt and a winter Havre basketball hat and a thank-you card signed by every player on both teams! I was stunned and so happy! So, back to the Blue Pony fans' cheering - do we ever get frustrated with the calls of the referees? Of course! That happens. But, do we "cheer" against the refs, or do we cheer for our Blue Pony players? I believe that, most of the time, we are faithful to cheer for our basketball players.
Now for the spiritual application. The writer of the Bible book of Hebrews writes in chapter 10, verse 24: "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works." Isn't this followers of Jesus cheering one another on in the pursuit of loving one another more and accomplishing good works?
The New International Version's rendition of this verse reads: "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." I like that word "spur." It is intentional; it is aggressive; and it is positive.
Again the writer of Hebrews declares in chapter 12, verse 1: "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us." That "huge crowd of witnesses" is partially a reference to the list of Bible heroes and heroines listed in the previous chapter of Hebrews (11). Are those folks in heaven cheering us on in our walks of faith, or are they frustrated with us and "yelling at the refs?" They are definitely cheering us on.
So, how should we be relating to each other as we serve God, loving people more and doing good deeds? Let's make sure that we are "spurring one another" on in a positive way, instead of finding fault with one another and emphasizing that. Amen? Amen!
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Written by the Rev. Edroy "Curt" Curtis, president of the Greater Havre Area Ministerial Association, chaplain of Northern Montana Health Care and lead pastor of Havre Assembly of God Church.
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