What Jersey are you Wearing? (Spiritually Unequal Marriage)

What Jersey are you Wearing?

January 12, 2009

1 Peter 3:15 Always be prepared to give and answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope you have.

Okay, the Chargers lost yesterday. (Queue theme song: So You Had a Bad Day)

Sigh!

Our poor Southern California boys just didn't know what to do with the snow and cold of Pittsburgh. (This is my defense and I am sticking to it)

Most of you know I live an hour away from San Diego. So by default, I am a fair-weather fan. However, my true loyalties lie with my beloved Denver Broncos. Don't even go there! I know how terrible they were this year. However, for me each year I am always hopeful. No matter what happens I watch the games with fingers crossed praying for a playoff berth.

Sigh! Queue theme song again.

All my neighbors know I am a fan. I hang blue and orange streamers from my garage during the good years. When the team performs poorly, everyone on my street loves to heap on the abuse as I walk to retrieve the mail. (I think they keep watch from their window just so they can "accidentally" meet me at the box.) This haranguing has gone on now for way too many consecutive years. But, I remain loyal.

Once many years ago, when our insufferable rival, Oakland, was still playing in LA, I was invited to attend a game when the Broncos were on top of the heap. My Dad, also a fanatic, had a friend who had season tickets on the fifty-yard line in the heart of Raider season ticket holders.

I arrived at the stadium proudly wearing my blue and orange jersey. Of course I received a ton of abuse as I started down the aisle. Now if you have never been to a Raider game, I will caution you, never wear a Bronco jersey and venture into the heart of Raider Country.

I unwittingly was taking my life into my hands. I thought the guy sitting next to me was going to do me injury when I jumped up to cheer for a Bronco touch down! Queue: We Are The Champions! Scary Raider Fanpp1

So, with the threats and harassment pouring all over me that day, I should have been scared. I should have quickly put on my jacket to hide the bright blue and orange. But, I didn't. Rock on Broncos! I withstood the remarks, the abuse, the threats. I defied them all. By the way, the Broncos lost that game so I skulked out of the stadium with thousands of Raider fans screaming Booyah! (check urban dictionary for definition. It's not nice)

I have only one thing to say, I DON'T CARE! I am a fanatical fan and I love my team. I will be buried proudly sporting blue and orange paint on my gravestone.

So my question for you today is: Whose jersey are you wearing?

Why is it so difficult to wear a label, Jesus follower? Why does it matter so much to us what other people think? Why do we shy away from our faith under the scrutiny of our spouse?

Well, we are going to explore these questions which are extremely relevant to all believers but even more compelling to those of us who live every day with someone we love but that someone makes us feel uncomfortable about our faith.

Do you want to know how to stand firm in your faith in the face of abuse? Do you want to be known as a man or a woman who wears the jersey: Jesus Follower?

I hope that over the next several weeks we can discover how we can navigate the pressures of claiming Christ and loving a hostile unbeliever. Are you up for this? Do you want to be renewed in your faith and have concrete answers for their hard questions?

Well, stay tuned. We are on this path now. I have so much to share with you and at the end of our journey, you will be able to take that Jesus jersey out of the back of your closet and wear it for all men to see (including Raider fans and unbelieving spouses).