Us versus Them

Our Colorado Rockies lost Game 1 in the World Series this evening. In many respects, it was an embarassing loss (13-1). But, for those of us who eagerly awaited major league baseball in Denver and then saw how the dry air and altitude made pitching difficult for our home team boys, we thought we'd NEVER see a World Series in Denver. It's been a very fun run to the World Series over the past month! The fact that many players on our team are Christians and that the team seems to be populated with a bunch of very nice guys is a plus.

One thing I notice about myself (any many others) is that when the Rockies win, we love to say things like, "We won! Our pitching was great! We dominated!" However, many times, when the Rockies lose, we tend to say things like, "They lost! They stank! Their batters just couldn't get anything going."

Notice how when the Rockies win, we all want to associate with them and BE one of them. WE'RE the ones who won. When they lose, we want to distance ourselves from them. THEY'RE the ones who lost.

What if God operated this way? He would never admit to being associated with us. Thankfully, He takes all of us whom He has redeemed, and He ALWAYS ties Himself to us, regardless of our foibles, problems, missteps, strikeouts, and errors. Even when we consciously try, we can't fathom His love for us when we are so steeped in sin. He always acts as if we are a winning team, when, in reality, we can't even get out of the locker room. Actually, we wouldn't be alive if it weren't for Him. We certainly wouldn't know how to swing a bat if it weren't for Him. And if we hit a home run, He's the one who carries the ball out of the park.