Conflict of interest

I was reading an article yesterday about the upcoming playoff game between the Broncos and Patriots and in the comments section, someone said that although he was a Patriots fan, he was pulling for Tim Tebow. Another commenter told him that if that was how he felt, he was no Patriot fan.

Even though football is a silly and inconsequential thing compared to others, we care about it. I think it's because of what the teams and player represent that is important. Even if we don't realize it, I think that we admire and support someone's values on the field, whether it's work ethic, intelligence, faith, or even amazing luck. And I believe we also attach negative values to players and teams because of their reputations and actions both on and of the field.

But now place yourself on the field. You are in the world, but if you are Christ's, you are not of it. Why should you care about anything?  Consider Abraham:

Hebrews 11:8By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; 10for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

He was in the land of promise, but lived like he was an alien. He was looking for a divine place, made by God. So, why did he bother going anywhere? Because he was obeying God. He didn't know where he was going, but he went. He was like Noah, building a giant boat in the desert, doing something transcendent, but doing it in the world for everyone to see.

The reason we do anything in this world is because God said so. Whether it works or not, or whether we win or not. We just do it. That is why we pray, and why we make an impact on the world. Because God said so.