Fair-weather Fans/Christians

So, being a resident of New Hampshire I am surrounded by New England Patriot fans, or I thought I was. As of yesterday (Sunday, Jan 10th) the Patriots were eliminated from the first round of the playoffs in a rather embarrassing fashion. Not being a Patriots fan I wasn't overly bothered, but I did watch the game since I enjoy football immensely. I was surprised, however, to see an amazing number of Facebook posts and other comments from New England "fans" today that ripped up the Patriots because they lost. So I thought about this a little bit and wondered what it told us about human nature. I propose the following:

1. People love winners and hate losers. I know this is not profound, but in a current society that embraces the concept that we are "all winners" I find this sharp reaction to a team losing a game indicating that maybe the psychiatrists aren't right after all. Maybe, just maybe, we really do think some people should win and we really want to be those people (or at least be on their side).
2. People have short memories. If you really think about this decade the New England Patriots have done some amazing things. Back in 2000, when Drew Bledsoe got injured and a young, untried quarterback named Tom Brady took over everyone predicted the season was over. I remember them winning the Super Bowl that year and two others in the next few years as well. I happen to be a San Diego Chargers fan (that is my home town). I have been a fan for the last 16 years and in the 50+ years of Chargers history we haven't won a single Super Bowl. But all of this doesn't matter in the heat of the moment. We get angry. We get upset. We get mad because our team didn't win and we are going to let them know it.
3. People are quick to praise when things go well, but quick to blame when things go bad. How quickly do we turn on the team that we were trash-talking about just a few hours ago. When everybody is winning and things are going great differences are put aside and people kiss and make-up so quickly. But when everything isn't going so well and teams are losing all of sudden we see that the unity was really superficial and the true nature of people comes out. This is also known as being a "fair-weather fan."
4. People are loyal when it benefits them. This ties into the previous comment. Since the Patriots have done well (very well) in the past few years people don't know what it means to be a fan and have their team lose. They expect good times and only good times. If "their" team doesn't win they go somewhere else. After all, why be loyal to a team that isn't constantly winning? For all of you who have been a fan of a team that hasn't had very good years you understand that enduring through the hard times is what makes the victory so sweet. For those of you who have not been loyal to a team when things were going down the tubes you will not understand this, but for the true loyal fans out there - you understand exactly what I mean.

So, why am I writing about football and football fans? I find some very interesting parallel's between the way people view a team to the way people view the church or God.

1. People love winners and hate losers. Christianity has allowed the world to define success and success today is determined by numbers. That is why people are attracted to large churches that are growing and booming. Large churches are not necessarily a problem, but too often people select a church based on everything but biblical principles. It is more important that a church adhere to biblical doctrines than that they have the latest band (or the oldest hymns) at their church. Christians must carefully compare their definitions of winners and losers with what the Bible defines as church winners (see Acts 2:42-47)
2. People have short memories. God knows this. After all He constantly reminds the Israelites in the Old Testament to make memorials or have particular feasts to remember what He has done in their life. Many people are going through difficult times with this economy, but how quickly do we forget God's gracious provision of the past. We ask "why" rather than praising God for all that He has given us and thanking Him for what we do have. (see Job 1:21)
3. People are quick to praise when things go well, but quick to blame when things go bad. Many churches give lip-service to unity, but how real is this unity? The test of unity is not when things are going great, but when trials and conflicts come. Do you want to know if a group of Christians truly love each other? Watch and see how they act and what they say when a fellow believer offends them or sins against them. Do they immediately approach the fellow believer and lovingly resolve the issue? Or does it turn into a chance to tell all their friends how that believer or that church over there is so bad? (see Matthew 18:15-17)
4. People are loyal when it benefits them. Too many church-hoppers don't want to hear this, but the reality is that we have many Christians who believe the sole purpose of the Church is to make them happy and meet all their needs. All I can say is that you won't find anything in the Bible about this. The primary purpose of the Church is to glorify God through the building up of other Christians and the spread of the Gospel to those outside the Church. Once again, we have a society of Christians that believe it is all about them, whereas the Bible teaches that we are to use our gifts to help others. (see Eph 4:11-16)

So as I get ready to watch my team (San Diego Chargers) play this Sunday I am curious to see my own reaction to their win or loss. Will I remain loyal to a team that has never rewarded me by going to the Super Bowl and winning ,or will I throw in the towel and walk away? Whatever I do it is always fun to see how a simple game of football can tell me so much about myself - and others.