Why we love COPS, Braveheart, Settlers of Catan, and the Super Bowl
As you may have seen in previous posts, I’m delving into the realm of spiritual warfare. While studying, I came across the following (interesting) paragraphs. The author is onto something here about the underlying reasons we love the Super Bowl, I believe
Who doesn’t enjoy watching a good movie, a fast-paced TV program, or curling up with a gripping book? Or how about the excitement of being in the stands at a closely matched sporting event? Almost everyone loves the unfolding of a story or the staging of a competitive challenge. We invest a great deal of time and money watching actors pretend to be something they’re not. We burn with indignation when the villain crushes the innocent. We hold our breath for the good guys and cheer when the hero vanquishes evil. We also shout in victory when our team tramples the other team to score a goal.
Whether through fiction or sports, there is something deep within that derives vicarious pleasure from seeing two forces meet in battle. Why do we have such a tremendous desire for these forms of entertainment? We long for conflict, adventure, and excitement because we were created to be actively involved in the ultimate conflict – the battle between good and evil. Our nature demands that we take sides in any fight, and root for one side or another. God intended us to be involved in conflict, fighting for righteousness. We were meant to be actively destroying those things that would hinder or corrupt the Kingdom of God, pushing back the powers of darkness.
We can enter into the greatest battle of all, the greatest adventure. We can see good triumph over evil and prisoners set free. This is not the plot of a book or the theme of a movie. It is is exactly what God intended us for. It can become reality when we learn how to engage in spiritual warfare.
We love COPS, Braveheart, Settlers of Catan and the Super Bowl. It’s clear these things elicit deep passion that leave us crying in the theaters, flipping board games in frustrated outbursts, buying team jerseys and going bazerko at a game-winning touchdown. Might they be scratching a God-given itch of a deeper longing? This is a fascinating proposition.
I wonder if our King smiles on our passion, yet prays and hopes for redirection toward his purposes. 1 John 3:8 says, “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.” And as his people, we are called to join battles of eternal significance: battles of spiritual oppression, physical oppression, hunger, injustice, good news for the poor, liberty for the captives, recovery of sight to the blind.
- Does this resonate with you?
- What other examples do you see in life that indicate we are designed for a deeper/spiritual war?
(To clarify, I don’t think the author is advocating for legislating morality, or burning Buddhist temples. Remember that our battle is not against flesh and blood, but “against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph 6:12).)
(the quote is from the book Spiritual Warfare, Dean Sherman, page 18-19)
