No More Scripture!

Okay. I have a question. Assume the ice cream shop down the road that you love going to with your family put a front page add in your local paper stating, “no Scripture allowed!” “We don’t want you wearing it, reading it, or promoting it in our store.” “If you want to promote your faith or your belief in the Word of God, go somewhere else, because it will not be allowed here.” If that were to happen at your favorite ice cream shop, assuming you are a born again believer, what would your response be? Would you keep going to the ice cream shop? Would you continue to carry your kids somewhere where they have outright banned the Bible? Would you keep giving the people who have deliberately chosen to spit in the face of God your money?


Well, I am not a boycott boy or a petitioning parent or a picketing pastor. I don’t get caught up in official strikes or marches, or one million emails to the company that promotes a filthy commercial, but I do stay away from bars, casinos, and I guess movie theatres for the most part since I haven’t been to one since 2007. I would have to say, though I would not stand out in front of the ice cream shop and picket or declare an official boycott, I would not go back. I would not take my kids there and I definitely would not give them my money. Would you?

No, stop…think….answer the question. What would you do if your favorite ice cream shop made a public statement: no Scripture allowed?

Well…

That is exactly what the NCAA did in these last 24 hours. They made a statement that no player would be allowed to follow the example of Tim Tebow and paint Scripture references on their faces.  I know, I know...they made the statement broad enough to cover anything being promoted, not just Scriptures, but every picture they showed on the news was of Tim Tebow's Scripture.  Let's not be dumb here.  We know what the issue is.  They could really care less if he had written a vulgarity on his face (that would just be his game face...you know...to intimidate), but Scripture...that is just too offensive to the minority. 

This is the same NCAA that many professing believers give more time to than they give to God. This is the same NCAA that many professing believers show more affection for and loyalty to than they show and give to God. This is the same NCAA that many professing believers devote their Saturday’s to, even though it may cost them their Sunday’s in the house of God…at least for a season…you know a baseball season or a football season. Think about this! The stands are packed with professing believers who yell without reserve, who wear their team’s T-shirt and hat, who wave their team’s flag, and who will at least verbally, if not physically attack someone who says something derogatory about their team. A lot of emotions are wrapped up in college sports. A lot of love is expressed for the NCAA. A lot of money is spent for the NCAA. A lot of miles are put on vehicles and motor homes for the NCAA. A lot of Bibles go unread, a lot of offerings go un-given, a lot of prayers go un-prayed, and a lot of worship goes un-expressed while we would never think for a moment of shorting our favorite team.

I mean come on guys…it’s the 21st century. Sports are the thing. We drag our kids around the state virtually every weekend of the year chasing after the athletic dream....soccer, baseball, softball, football, etc.  That quarterback that funnels beer on the weekends, sleeps around with anyone and everyone, and maybe even shoots up is our child’s hero!  Your kids have his poster on your wall.  Your kids are wearing his jersey, his name.  What an example.  What a hero.  What a role model.  Athletes are our heroes and our children's heroes.  Not David Brainerd, or David Livingstone, or John G. Paton.  I am sorry.  I know most of you are saying, “Who is David Brainerd, David Livingstone, and John G. Paton. Well, they aren't athletes, which would probably explain why most of you don't know them. 

Anyway, the question at hand was, what would you do with that favorite ice cream shop that basically spit in the face of all Christians and said, no more Scripture allowed…you know they hung the sign that said, “No shoes, no shirt, and any Scripture…No service.” If you said, with me, I couldn’t go back there. I wouldn’t go back there. I would find me another place to get ice cream with my family, then you must also say I can’t continue to give my hard earned money to the NCAA or carry my kids there. I will not invest in anyone or anything that would spit on the Words of the One True God. I will find me some other entertainment to participate in. After all, what is good for the godless ice cream shop, should be good enough for the godless NCAA, right?

But then again, we don’t worship ice cream shops do we?


P.S. A good alternative entertainment is to introduce yourself and your kids to true heroes…like Brainerd, Livingstone, and Paton. Until next time…