My wife and I ate at Longhorn's in Florence last night, along with 5-6 other families from Hartsville that we saw there. During our meal, a man at the table next to us yelled out "Hey Buddy" as he waved his hat in the air and pointed. He was pointing to the Green Bay Packer logo on his hat and yelling to another man wearing a Packer's hat. They waved, gave each other the thumbs-up, and smiled.
After my initial response of that was REALLY rude to yell out like that in a restaurant, I was enamoured with the unity that being on a team brings. These two men didn't even know each other, but pulling for the same team got them excited. Carolina fans celebrated together and Clemson fans had a joint time of mourning following their recent Bowl games. My fellow Dolphans and "U" fans have grieved together for quite some time, but we still faithfully follow. In fact, I remember meeting my first Dolphan in Hartsville, SC. As the new pastor at EBC, I was invited to the Williamson' home for fish stew (a new experience). As I walked in, I saw a man wearing a Miami Dolphin jacket. Well... I immediately went over and introduced myself and had an instant bond with Jim Irby! How about that... a Dolphin fan in Hartsville!
As my wife and I discussed the Packer fan's elated outburst last night, it dawned on me that those on the same team should be pulling together and enjoying a sense of unity. So, why is it that those on God's team focus on their differences and try to divide the team? Could it be that the Church of Jesus Christ could learn a lesson from the fans of various sports and teams? Shouldn't our loyalty to our Savior cause us to put our differences aside and pull together? I truly believe it should.
I look forward to the day that someone yells out in a restaurant, "Hey Buddy" and points to a cross on his hat. Wouldn't it be something if several people immediately jumped up, waved at each other, gave a thumbs-up, and smiled! Hey... maybe we could practice such a response at church tomorrow.
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