"Shut Up And Hit Somebody"
Depending on one's perspective, this past Saturday was either one of the best or worst days of the year. The college football season kicked off (pun intended). Brian and Jessica Balentine, a wonderful couple at CrossBridge, invited us over to watch the Alabama vs. Utah State game on pay per view. Since we've resisted even having cable all these years (did I hear a collective moan), I was in hog heaven. They even had one of those "tevo" deals where you can rewind the action...unbelievable. We had a great time.
One thing that caught my eye on Saturday was in a different game, however. The University of South Carolina took on Vanderbilt. While I was able only to catch a glimpse here or there of this game, I happened to be in the room when a reporter was talking about Lou Holts' (head coach for South Carolina) latest motivational stragedy. Each player wore a t-shirt underneath his uniform emblazened with these words: "Shut Up And Hit Somebody." I chuckled when I heard that. It made such an impression on me, I just had to mention it in my sermon on Sunday.
The point is obvious: stop talking about what you're gonna do, and just do it. Football is know for its trash talk, what one player boasts that he will do to another. Enough. Holts called his team simply to aggressively accomplish what they were taught to do.
Perhaps we ought to distribute similar t-shirts to church folk, one that everyone can wear under his or her Sunday outfits (though for CrossBridge, t-shirts often are the clothes of choice). The Bible has similar statements. "Love not in word, but in deed and in truth." "Faith without works is dead" (too bad legalsim has abused this truth). "If you say you love God and hate your brother, you are a liar." To these can be added a plethora of similar biblical passages that call to action, not merely talk.
South Carolina apparently took Holts' challenge to heart. I think they won pretty handily over Vanderbilt. Perhaps it's time for the church to take to heart the biblical call to action, not to legalistic justification, but to actively expressing to our broken world the love of Jesus. Perhaps its time to just "shut up and love somebody." Maybe we'll start seeing a change...most likely in us.
Monday, September 06, 2004
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Talk is cheap, Dad. Couldn't have said it better myself. It's amazing how much is the same out here when it comes to people. Throughout my experiences around the world, I've come to realize that people are the same, no matter where they live. Of course, there are different circumstances that factor into who they are, but I truly believe that since God created man in His image, we see ourselves in other people. And instead of talking our way around our faults, we as a people of God should embrace each other in Holy love. Out here, there is still immaturity and insubordination, and of course, the battles that all young people have inside themselves. I still have to remind myself of those words that you e-mailed to me that day, "Just keep your head screwed on straight." But thanks to the way you and Mom raised me, I know what true love is. I've seen it in your marriage. I try so hard to love people the way they need to be loved; the way God would love them. In such a way that isn't noticed instantly. But the neatest thing about it is, just when you think that you're doing someone a favor, that's when part of God's plan is fulfilled. And it fills you to overflowing. I feel like I just reitterated what you said in your post, but it's what was on my heart, and what I belive is my mission statement. "Shut up and love somebody."
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