The Journey Continues: Just throw the flag
Columnist’s Note: My journey this week has returned to my friend, Paul Buntyn, Pastor Emeritus of Abundant Life Christian Church in San Marcos, Texas.
Acts 2:3-4; Ephesians 4:14-16
A few years ago, I was watching an NFL football playoff. I know one of the teams was the New Orleans Saints, but I cannot remember the opponent so forgive me. If you do not know some of the football jargons or referee calls, you really do not need to know them to understand the perspective I am led to write to the body of Christ — to people who desire to live “justly and righteously.”
In the Book of Acts, we read that after the ascension of Jesus, He commanded the disciples who followed Him that they should obediently gather and wait to be empowered — endowed with a level of authority and/or influence to act as referees in the world. The followers of Jesus, as the referees of society, were to use this influence to preach the Truth with “love” and “respect” to all people in order that they would be motivated to make the needed adjustments for a better life. Jesus also said that we are to be the “Salt of the earth and the light of the world” (Matthew5:13-14).
Back to the NFL football game: one of the defensive players violated a golden rule about the position he played. The rule says that he is not to touch or grab the receiver who is to catch the passed football from his quarter back while the ball is in the air. The defense-man, however, ignored that rule and hit the receiver before he was able to complete the play and catch the ball. This is called “Pass Interference” and the penalty against the defensive team is a huge one. Unfortunately, the referee did not throw the flag signaling a violation of this standard, understood rule; therefore, adding insult to injury, the defensive team did not get penalized. It cost the other team the game.
My point is that the Lord Jesus ordained and empowered the church to be champions of righteousness and justice. Like the referees in football games, believers must be alert and ready to speak out about infractions to given rules when we see that the referees of society are not throwing the flags to signal a critical violation to the agreed upon rules. When that happens and just consequences are not issued, there must be folks who call out the infraction and demand just rules and fair play be upheld.
Tomorrow is a national holiday in honor of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK). He is one of many referees who have thrown the flags of righteousness and justice for all people.
We still need many more like Dr. King, because Systemic racism is alive in our society today. Most of us will agree we see our nation reflects some serious divisions today. We still struggle over racial issues, and are challenged when the opportunity for discussions should be available. It’s been a year after the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection and since then approximately 19 states have made 33 laws that will make it harder for Americans, or shall I say selected Americans, to vote. Our schools — good though they may be — are bereft of the true history of our nation that still stigmatizes certain people groups. And what ever the ‘church’ endorses, it becomes almost naturalized in our society.
I believe there are dishonest people in our Congressional offices, and government officials that need to be held accountable. This is an example of having representatives in high places setting up a system to put people, under oath, under unrighteous laws that are creating more of a divide amongst God’s imago Dei (His people). If the voting rights are to be rolled back, it would put us back into the laws of Jim Crow of the 50s and 60s. WHO WILL THROW THE FLAGS, SO THAT RIGHTEOUSNESS AND JUSTICE WILL PREVAIL?
