Let’s get real, Internet. I watch the Super Bowl for two reasons:
- The halftime show. One word: Beyoncè.
- The commercials. One word: GoDaddy
But for my husband, it’s way more. Like, waaaaaaay more. It’s a game! A battle! A fight! [Bless his heart.] However, we began discussing how pop culture effects our lives and how every action we commit displays the Gospel—for good and for bad. In light of our discussion, I asked him to share his thoughts on culture, media, and Christianity.
****
In case you missed it, the Super Bowl was yesterday and an estimated 120 million people watched making it the largest viewed event in our history. It was the entertainment event to be praised by all—the story lines had everything! Two brothers coaching in the big game for the first time ever, GoDaddy shocked us again with the kiss watched around the world, and Beyoncé killed it at half-time, shattering the tweets-per-second record held by Madonna at last years Super Bowl.
But the most intriguing story line to me was Ray Lewis versus Colin Kaepernick. Not only did you have an All-Pro legendary linebacker playing in has last game but he was up against the flashy, tattooed kid that took over for the 49ers mid-season. Who would win? An underlining story with both of them is their faith; both are committed Christians and both are wanting to tell the story of the Gospel in different ways.
It seemed more people wanted to talk about the double murder charge Ray faced 13 years ago, than him telling the truth about who he was and what he believed to be true. It seems the media always want to spin the Christian story. Let me check that, the world wants to spin the Christian story as what we are against instead of the God we serve.
We may not be Ray Lewis or Colin Kaepernick and get the same spotlight in the public arena, but when you choose to take a stand for what you believe in, our goal is to be like Him in everything we do. No matter where we go or what we do, we are never free from the call to live out the Gospel in all its fullness.
The pastor has since said she is sorry for the embarrassment that it caused their church and ministry but it was the pastor that called Applebee’s and complained that the picture of the receipt was ruining her image. NO—we ruin our own image when we don’t seek to live out the Gospel in all we do. Jesus called us to be countercultural, not play into the sterotypes of Christians. He called us to be different—he called us to be last and not first, to serve and not be served (ironic in light of the Applebee’s “server”), and to love people no matter what.
I am so convicted this week to be a living example of the Gospel I believe. I know there have been many times I demanded my own way, I have raised my voice to get what I want and have been down right rude. Everyday, we are in the spotlight everywhere we go—I pray we live out the Gospel in whatever spot light God has given you. Wouldn’t it be amazing to read about the Pastor that tipped 50% and prayed for their server? It doesn’t have to be someone famous… why can’t it be us?
Matt Olthoff
Matt, married to Bianca I think we can all forgive you for raising your voice once or twice – how else would you get a word in edgeways?!
(great post though)
Bianca, such a good point!
Far too often do we allow ourselves to forget ‘there but the grace of God’ is where we can easily be. He never judged another but accepted, with faults, people in their entirety. He bathed the feet of lepers, ate with the poor He fed and led with God’s word as He spoke them as a man. He was humble. I endeavor as much.,
While being a Pastor is in itself no small task; serving God’s children and leading thru God’s word as you translate them as a man, neither is the literal serving of God’s children a small task either
Far too often do we allow ourselves to forget ‘there but the grace of God’ is where we can easily be. He never judged another but accepted, with faults, people in their entirety. He bathed the feet of lepers, ate with the poor He fed and led with God’s word as He spoke them as a man. He was humble. I endeavor as much.,
While being a Pastor is in itself no small task; serving God’s children and leading thru God’s word as you translate them as a man, neither is the literal serving of God’s children a small task either. One must at least try to remember the place others have in our life as we have a place in theirs. And in so doing, favorably acknowledge when at all possible. Respect, humility and God’s grace.
Word up magazine! So good. Thank you for the reminder and encouragement.
Thank you for this. I worked in restaurants for so long (10 years) so I know how restaurant employees view “Christians.” Sundays were the least favorite days to work because people coming from church were rude, and didn’t tip. Now I make it a point to tip extra (more than 20% of the bill) even if my service is bad, especially if our server knows we’re Christians.
I’m sure there are other areas where I have blind spots and don’t live out the gospel, but I wish more Christians knew how they come across in restaurants. Hopefully the Applebees incident will be a wake-up call. Thanks for writing this.