A couple of years ago the Dallas Mavericks were terrible. I loved watching them. I felt no anxiety watching them fail because there were no expectations of success. Instead, I could just cheer on every small victory, every cool play and celebrate it for what it was. Then the Mavs drafted Luka Doncic and almost instantly became contenders. This season I promised myself I would go back to simply watching to cheer on my team without any anxious analysis. Texts with my brother will prove that has been an abject failure. Especially after the run to the NBA Finals, everything suddenly mattered so much. Or did it?
At some level, basketball is a child’s game of bouncing a ball and throwing it through a hoop. Most sports are some variation of “put ball in target” like that. Yet they inspire people to hurl TVs from balconies in anger or rip out goalposts to throw into rivers in victory. There is no limit to the passion people feel about sports. Even if you aren’t a sports person, I would bet there is something others think is trivial, but that you are wildly invested in. Maybe a knitting group? Do knitters do spike their yarn and do touchdown dances when they finish a blanket? I feel like yes, but please let me know on Sunday.
Clearly our hobbies and interests are in some ways trivial. At the same time, we care deeply about them. It seems to me caring is a gift from God. God cares for us and the world more than we can imagine. Since we are made in the image of God, I think our caring is part of how we show God to the world and grow in love. Caring teaches us about how God loves. Caring about small things prepares us to care about big things. Even when caring draws us into conflict like with rival teams, we are still in relationships with the potential for growth. Caring unites us. Whatever good thing you care about this week, may you dive into with love and passion.
Blessings,
Pastor Luke