Have you ever been around someone whose negativity has affected you so gravely that you find yourself mimicking their behavior? Do thoughts of disgust and judgement wash over you?
There are times while sitting at my nephew’s sporting events, that I have found myself caught up in the energy around me. When the negative attitude of someone else has poisoned my own. It’s not easy being at sporting events these days. I would like to say that I never, ever get upset or that I never, ever have thoughts of anger toward others, but then I would be lying. So then what kind of Christian does that make me?
Recently while attending my nephew’s wrestling tournament, I found myself so overwhelmed by the ill behavior of others around me, both in actions and words, that I was physically shaking. I ended up having to stuff my I-pods into my ears in hopes of drowning out the negative atmosphere. With the volume as loud as it would go, I silently lip-synced to the Christian songs blaring from those tiny white earbuds. For a millisecond, I thought about the damage I might be doing to my eardrums, but as I stared out into the crowds around me, I didn’t’ care. I wanted nothing more than to disappear into God’s grace and love by hearing something more positive than what I was hearing.
Drowning out the noise is one thing, but how does one overlook negative behavior and still keep their Christianity intact? Obviously, we can’t close our eyes to the world around us. It would be pretty hard for me to watch my nephew’s tournament with my eyes closed and yet at his most recent tournament, that’s exactly what I wanted to do. In that tournament, a parent was thrown out for angrily cussing the referee, as well as the crowds of the opposing team. His anger no doubt embarrassed his son, but he wasn’t thinking about his son as he made his way across the gymnasium floor, threatening people on his way out. While everyone’s eyes followed his exit, my heart sank for his child and for every other child witnessing his behavior. What could cause such a violent reaction at a high school wrestling tournament? It seemed a bit ironic considering that at the opening of the tournament, everyone had stood together in respect of our flag and stood in unison as the director of the tournament said a prayer, but it would seem that unity and respect were the farthest things from anyone’s minds once they sat down.
“A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit; neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” (Matthew 7:15-20)
There are several things in life that I find intolerable, one of those things would be Christians who don’t act the part. I can admit honestly that I judge Christians much more harshly than I do non-Christians. Mainly because I feel that Christians know better and so they should do better. It’s one thing if a non-Christian starts cussing out the referee, but it’s another thing when a Christian agrees with him. And yet it happens, so does that mean the person agreeing is really not a Christian?
Shouldn’t we as Christians be fully aware of the type of fruit that we are producing? Shouldn’t we be aware of whose eyes are upon us at all times?
At that tournament I found myself staring across the gymnasium at someone whom I knew to be a good Christian and yet my perception of that person changed in an instant when I witnessed them laughing at the behavior of a child from the same team, as the man who’d been rejected. Of course I couldn’t actually know what they were laughing at, but given what was happening in front of me, it seemed a pretty good assumption to make. Especially in seeing that everyone around that grandparent seemed to be laughing in unison, their eyes fixed upon one mocking boy as he taunted the fans of his opposing team, adding fuel to an already growing fire. It hadn’t been the first time this boy’s negative behavior had been openly put on display. In fact, he’s known and disliked because of his unfavorable actions. It is his callous behavior that has caused such a strong dislike between two rival teams and their fans.
It amazes me how one adolescent boy, has the power to permeate his poor attitude throughout the crowds like a rotten smell. It saddens me that his coaches, his parents and his grandparents allow it. It bothers me immensely that it affects me so negatively. To the point that I honestly can say that I find myself rooting against this young boy. I want him to lose, I want him to fall hard from his self-imposed position of being the best. I know as a Christian those thoughts are wrong and yet I think them. Does that mean I am not truly a Christian? The mere fact that I am convicted by my thoughts prove that I am. Otherwise, I would continue on in my disapproving thoughts without a care in the world. But I do care that I have such negative thoughts. That is the true sign of a Christian. If you screw up in action or thoughts, God convicts you and hopefully you learn from it.
Now I know that throughout my nephew’s sporting events, I will be faced with negative people and I will probably always continue to wear my I-pods as a way to help drown out the noise of negativity. I have no doubt that I will still find myself affected by the poor attitude of others. But thankfully I know that I have a very valuable tool in my Christian arsenal to combat such things, prayer.
But to you who are listening I say: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Luke 6:27-28
As Christians we must always remember to see through the eyes of God and realize that even adolescent boys with bad attitudes need our prayers, more so than we can possibly realize . . .