Team Jesus

3 minute read

It’s no secret I love my longhorns. The TX/OU game - win, lose or soul-crushing meltdown a la this year - holds court as one of my top 5 days of the year -- every year.

In preparation for last week’s game, I combed through outfits to find the right burnt orange. Can’t be too orange - this ain’t Tennessee. Can’t be too red - I ain’t no Okie. The general rule of thumb according to Mary Clay’s School of Texas Fan Fashion is if you’re going to err, err toward brown. 

So I erred toward brown, and my son said, Mom you look like an Oklahoma fan. 

To which I said, QUIET YOU. 

We got to the game, and my friend Carolyn talked about her outfit woes and how her husband told her she looked like an Oklahoma fan.

To which she also said, QUIET YOU.

All this to say - what you wear to the TX/OU game should be a dead giveaway toward the side you’re cheering for, buuuuut sometimes it’s a little blurry.

Another dead giveaway of your level of fanship is how well you know the cheers, songs and chants (and in the way you hold your horns #IYKYK). In this vein, you likely know that in addition to yelling Texas Fight, Texas fans love to yell OU Sucks during the Oklahoma game. 

At the risk of sounding like a pious, self-righteous square, I really dislike the latter cheer. I can be a little bit of a granny about the word “sucks”, annnnnd I also quite prefer the school of thought to cheer for your own team rather than cheer against another.

This year though? Both of these notions went out the damn window, and I don’t know that I’ve ever screamed OU SUCKS with more gusto. It just felt so good. (Sorry Ab). 

In keeping with this cheer/chant knowledge, the guy next to me was a super fan - we’re talking knew every motion to every song the band played, and I found myself acutely aware of his side-eye making sure I was doing it right as I cheered. 

As the game went on, he did and said some interesting things beyond knowing every symbol tiss to accompany a bass drum.

Exhibit A: As we stood in the offensively bright sun with sweat dripping down our backs, he would command the wind to blow, and when it did, he would puff up and say, “You’re welcome.” 

Exhibit B: He made predictions with confidence: “I predict we score in 4 plays this possession.” 

When we did, he smiled with pride.

Exhibit C: He made luring motions with his hands reminiscent of casting a spell when we were on offense, and he wanted the horns to head toward our end of the field. 

When we observe someone’s behavior with interest, we often can’t help but make assumptions about them, and I’ll admit that based on his behavior, I made the assumption that he was spiritually lost. Was it a reach? Maybe. Did the evidence I have at the time lend itself toward this? Yes.

Y’all know I fixated on it most of the game (Should I ask him if he knows Jesus? Yeah probably, but you’re too busy screaming expletives at the top of your lungs), and in wrestling with all this, it got me thinking: What assumptions were currently being made about me based on my behavior during the game? 

Oh man she loves that OU Sucks cheer doesn’t she. Wow, bleacher slapping now - she’s spicy... and she won’t stop bouncing. Her poor husband. 

My behavior made my case pretty clear I was a Texas fan… But would anyone know I was a Jesus fan? 

I know this might sound like a leap, but it really did get me thinking. Why would anyone think I was any different than Sir Universe Lurer? What did I do that made me look less like the world and more like Jesus?

And to circle all the way back to the original point of my brown shirt - sometimes it’s a little blurry what team we’re cheering for, but when it comes to cheering for Jesus - we gotta stop being so blurry guys.

I gotta stop it. 

You gotta stop it. 

At the risk of sounding completely legalistic, but I promise it’s coming from a personal desire for a more obedient heart, the truth is this: 

Every single thing we do should be done in an effort to honor Jesus.

The way we work, the way we dress (can somebody plz tell a college girl this stat), the way we talk (whyyyy does my potty mouth feel so good sometimes), the way we show up for people we love, the way we seek to love the unlovable, the way we post on social media - thought, word, and deed, y’all!

Obviously it’s impossible to do this all the time because we are sinners, but it should be the goal! If we really do follow the command to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, all of our soul, and all of our mind, then most of the time - God-honoring behavior should be an easy spill over.

But a lot of times it just isn’t.

I typically have some tips to help us change the course, but today I’m simply asking for an open heart to start repping Team Jesus wherever I go. I’m asking for His gentle Spirit to check me when I don’t, and I’m asking for His strength to re-route the behavior without a colossal me-me-me meltdown when I’m convicted.

Maybe you want the same? I hope you do!

And just to be clear - I’m not saying stay home and read your Bible all day. I’m not saying don’t go to the football game. I’m not saying don’t have the margarita. I am saying be aware. If something is causing you to morph into the world - push pause. Check in. Take a breath! Y'all - God is fun. He is cooler than cool. His version is just different than the world’s, and I promise you the times I’ve yielded to it - it. always. ends. up. better.

To tie this all up in a pretty little sports-themed bow… Jesus Wins guys. Eternal victory is His! And until then… we hang on tight and keep cheering.

Father God, you know the places and people and circumstances that cause us to stumble. You know where our light can start to go dim. Your light! Lord, we confess the times we morph into the world, and we need your help to navigate out of it when we do. Thank you for the promise of your Holy Spirit, our helper and our advocate, to guide us back onto your path. Don’t let us miss His nudgings please Lord! And if we do, God remind us of your grace and mercy and relentless forgiveness shown in the blood of Jesus. Pull us back into your arms. You are always right there! Thank you. And God for the person who might be reading this today who feels confused or discouraged - show them your goodness. Be near to them as they draw near to you! We love you and we trust you. Help us live like it! In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Suggested Scripture for the Week

Sunday/Monday:
James 1 (yes the whole chapter)
What does it mean to be doers of the word?

Tuesday:
James 2
Notice any favoritism you show today and confess it. Ask Him to reroute this habit.

Wednesday:
James 3
Have you ever thought about how powerful the tongue is? What ways can use it for God’s glory today?

Thursday:
James 4
Memorize James 4:7 and speak this against temptation as it comes.

Friday/Saturday:
James 5
Consider verse 11. Can you reflect on a time when the Lord was full of tenderness and mercy toward you? Ask Him to help you exhibit these qualities to someone this weekend.