I couple weeks ago, I wrote about about the tension between being a follower of Christ and a watcher/lover/fan of sports. Now, being who I am, I mostly wrote about football, baseball, and hockey, because those were the sports that were on the television growing up, the sports I play(ed), and the sports I still care about today. Basketball (save for the Buckeyes the past six years) has never been a sport I really liked, therefore I didn't really mention it in that post. The only reference I made to basketball was to LeBron James, where I said, "I hope that LeBron James never scores another point in the NBA (and I was joyous that the Spurs dominated the Heat in the finals this year)," o allude to how strongly one can dislike, even hate, an athlete of all people. Now, post-"Return of the King", I will have quite a few angry friends and neighbors here in Ohio if my wish comes true (thank God I'll be in the safe-haven of Kentucky!). But now, in regards to my last post about how we care way too much about sports, I enter into evidence the Exhibit A: LeBron James.
If you had a television or a computer, you somehow, some way, heard that LeBron had a huge "decision" coming up where he was going to decide where he was going to play basketball for lots and lots of money. There were four or five suitors, one of which was his first team and his hometown team of the Cleveland Cavilers, despite not leaving on good terms with Clevelanders when he decided to "take [his] talents to South Beach and join the Miami Heat." Yet, after reaching the Finals in all four of his years and winning two of them, he decided to return to his hometown and the team that originally drafted him (and probably offered him a "max contract). Consequently, the internet exploded within minutes and the Cavs had no more season tickets to sell within hours. And, now, baseball fans like me can't watch SportsCenter and soccer fans will have to deal with the hoopla every time the cameras switch to LeBron, who is attending the World Cup championship match on Sunday. That's fun.
But, this frenzy points directly to the point I was trying to make. LeBron James is an idol--not in the "I idolize the way he plays the game" sense, but the spiritual adultery sense. Social media testifies to it. Cleveland's exuberance and Miami's sadness testifies to it (as did Miami's exuberance and Cleveland's burnt jerseys did in 2010). The fact that so many people in this country and the world cares to have an opinion and an emotional reaction about where one person decides to dribble a little orange ball testifies to it. An entire city has given itself to a fickle, imperfect, 29 year old man in hopes that he will win them around 75 basketball games (as long as 16 of those wins are in the playoffs). That will give them what they are looking for! That will allow those born post 1964 who have never seen the city win a major sports title to die in peace! That will make everything right in their little Lake Erie world!
Bad news, Cleveland: LeBron won't make you happy. LeBron won't play for you forever. LeBron won't make the Browns better (zoom zoom zoom!). LeBron won't transform your city into a flourishing utopia. LeBron is no beacon of hope. LeBron's return is not evidence that God loves you.
Gospel, Cleveland: God's love for you is not found in the "return of King James" but in the death and resurrection and impending return of the King Jesus, the King of kings. Christ is not fickle and will not defect for greener pastures, as He promises to never leave or forsake you. He carried His shameful cross to His death; Lebron ripped off a "shameful" jersey after losing. Lebron is coming back for a few years for millions of dollars. Christ is coming back to rescue His bride so that we may be with Him for eternity.
"It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man." (Psalm 118:8)
"Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation." (Psalm 146:3)One could say that I am making a mountain out of a mole hill, especially for good God-fearing Christians, out of this situation. Yet, as I said last time, this sinful mindset can subtly infiltrate our mind and our hearts and allow us to get too caught up in sports entertainment. When our identities feel connected to these sports teams (as I have seen happen in Ohio for Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Ohio State fans), we can let an unhealthy love sneak in and have our minds and hearts held captive by every season, quarter, period, and inning--which I'm sure falls under Ecclesiastes' category of "vanity" and "meaninglessness." Check your heart. Truly--where do you find your joy? Who will be your savior? Our hearts, enthralled by sports and other worldliness, deny that the Sunday School answer of "Jesus" is correct all the time.
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