Brotherly Love Conquers All

Tomorrow night (Friday, September 28th) at 8:00 p.m., the West Virginia Mountaineers will take the field at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. They will line up against the South Florida Bulls in what is being hyped as one of the biggest games in all of college football this season, and as one of the biggest games in the history of the Big East conference.

The University of South Florida is an institution comprised of more than 40,000 undergraduate students in Tampa. It also happens to be the university my wife, Kelly, and I attended. We have been devoted fans of the Bulls (especially football and men's basketball) since our time there in the late 1990's and early 2000's.

Obviously, Kelly and I are "pumped" for Friday night's showdown on ESPN. We are in the middle of ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference) country here, but we have at least two WVU Mountaineer fans that I know of here at Cold Harbor. I have been preparing both of these brothers for their defeat over the past two or three weeks, but I am not convinced they are ready to handle the deep depression that will set in when the clock reads 0:00 and the point total under "Bulls" is higher than that under "Mountaineers" (sorry guys, had to say it!).

I write all that to say this: No matter how passionate we may be about a sports team or any other interest in life, there ought to be nothing that supercedes these two things:

1. Our love for God
2. Our love for our fellow man

While we should be good and kind to everyone about us, our Christian brothers and sisters should occupy a unique reservation in the love we bestow (Galatians 6:10). Would you believe churches have been split and preachers have lost their jobs due to arguments about football games?!?! 'Tis true! What a tragedy when brethren place greater value on their allegiance to a sports teams (or anything else) than on their relationship in Christ.

It is so rewarding to have Christian brothers like Joe and Steve. We can enjoy the rivalry on the field, all the while maintaining our love for and commitment to Christ and one another.

Friend, never allow anything this world has to offer come between you and your Lord, nor you and your brother!

ps -- be sure to turn on ESPN2 tomorrow night @ 8:00 p.m. to see the Bulls stampede!!

r2