Not a Fan

     Football...something we all enjoy on Friday nights at the stadium, or watching our favorite teams on TV Saturday and Sundays. Teams like Alabama, Florida, UPenn and of course our own high school team (btw those are all random). We follow them through thick and thin, enjoying watching them play and what not. It a pastime. But it's a whole different story watching from the stands or our couches at home, to actually getting on the field and playing. Most of us don't really want to get crushed by a linebacker. Or those of us who do play football, it's a lot different going on to a volleyball court and playing. I wouldn't want to get spiked in the face either. We just sit back and enjoy watching the game. Well, so many times we do the exact same thing with our faith. We'd much rather be a fan of Jesus than picking up our crosses each day and following Him. Are we going to take the leap of faith, get out on the field of faith and play the game of life with Jesus as our coach, or will we continue to sit on the sidelines and cheering for Jesus' team without actually doing anything?

     As I was reading this book, Not a Fan (hence where I got the name for the post), God showed me some awesome things and helped me to really evaluated my relationship with God. Some many times choose to just be a fan of Jesus because what He calls us to do is to difficult, not popular, or we don't feel like doing it at the time. We only give Him half of our hearts instead of everything. We have to take a serious look at where we are in our relationship with God. 

    Throughout the year, our towns and cities have concerts with our favorite artist and bands. We'll plan for a group of us to go and for weeks leading up to it, we'll talk all about it. We seem to know everything about them, their favorite food, color, what their hair is like, etc (this is an area I seemed to have lacked in high school). We know all about them...but we don't "know" them. It works the same way with our faith. Fans of Jesus will know all about being a Christian. They'll know all the right bible answers, the books of the bible forwards and backwards, longest and shortest verses, and go to church each Sunday. However, they don't know Christ on a intimate and personal level. They know all about Him, but they don't know Him. Jesus isn't looking for that, but rather for that personal relationship with Him, for us to follow Him. It's more than just knowing about Jesus, it's getting to know Christ.

     In high school, we love to focus on the outside. How we look, how we dress, how we act around certain people. We want to be popular, to fit in, and the like. However, we're missing what really matters, the heart. So many times we want to put on a mask as Christians. We want to follow all the rules, go to church every Sunday and Wednesday, and we get guilt ridden when we screw up. But that's not what truly matters. God cares about our attitudes towards and where our hearts are. Are we trying to honor God, are we striving to know God better, are we focusing on trying to follow Jesus? It's not about all the rituals and traditions, but rather that intimate relationship with Jesus. Jesus already paid the price for our sins, so when we screw up, we gotta get back up on our feet, ask for forgiveness and continue to strive to honor Him. It's all about the heart. It's not our good deeds that save us, it's our faith. 

     So are we ready to get up off the sidelines and follow Jesus with everything? To work on getting to know God and to strive to focus on the inside, not the outside. Are we ready to become followers, and not a fan? I know I am. Just like the book said,

I am not a fan