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Fall's Color Classic Outscored the Football Game
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Bob Johnston
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Oct 20, 2003 04:06 PDT
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FALL’S COLOR CLASSIC OUTSCORED THE FOOTBALL GAME
Duty called me from the couch where I was watching a college football
game, one of my favorite pastimes. We were planning to leave on a trip
to New York early the next week so our lawn had to be raked and mowed on
Saturday, college football’s game day.
One of the teams in the game I had started watching was a top contender
for the national championship, increasing the temptation to leave the
leaves to themselves. After all, this game might determine which team
would ultimately be crowned number one.
There were also a number of other good reasons why the call of the couch
contended with the call of duty. This had been an extremely busy week
as well as very taxing day. I had risen at five o’clock for an early
morning appointment and could make a convincing case for spending the
afternoon relaxing. Still, I somehow mustered the ambition and strength
to pass up the pleasure of watching the game and headed, rake in hand,
for our front lawn.
Once at work, I was surprised at how quickly my attention turned from
football to the natural beauty of that sunny October afternoon. Above
me was a canopy of green, red, yellow and brown leaves, some appearing
as alive as when they had been called from their buds by warm spring
breezes while others were at various stages of ending their cycles of
life. A few were floating multicolored and crinkled to the ground. The
melancholy, yet exhilarating, feeling of fall was in the air and soon I
found myself captured by the autumn glory around me, even feeling
grateful to be raking my lawn instead of watching the football game.
What brought about this change of attitude? Involvement.
A few moments earlier I had been a spectator. Now I was a participant.
“In all labor, there is profit,” said Solomon (Proverbs 14:23).
My day became more meaningful because I was now profitably engaged in
doing something rather than just watching others perform.
Like most couch quarterbacks, I would probably have been able to find
some weaknesses in the coaching or execution of the teams, had I watched
the game. But working there in the middle of this photographer’s dream
I could find no fault with how God was developing his annual portrait of
splendor. Instead, the wonder of the moment caused me to identify with
the Psalmist when he exclaimed, “The heavens declare the glory of God”
(Psalm 19:1)! Fall’s colorama was doing the same for me!
Since that Saturday when I decided to leave the football game to work
in my yard, I’ve thought about the importance of involvement in another
beautiful part of God’s creation: His church.
Many churches are hindered by Sunday afternoon quarterbacks: members who
are critics of sermons and songs but who never really get involved in
the mission of the church. These gripers gather in little groups to
grumble about what’s being done but seldom do anything constructive
themselves. They’re living proof that it’s always easier to be part of
a faction than to get into the action.
Those who conquer the spectator syndrome by telling others of God’s love
and sharing what He means to them demonstrate who’s number one in their
lives. And they’ll be crowned winners when they leave.
© 2002 by Roger Campbell
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May you be blessed today
Bob Johnston
Sand Dollar Publisher
Minneapolis
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