Kick him while he's down!

It was an inadvertent collision of two players on opposing teams on the basketball court. Both were trying to get in position to make a planned play, but they ran into each other. No fouls were called, the referees didn't blow their whistles and send anyone to make free throws, it was just one of those things that happens and these two athletes collided. One went to the floor, agonizing in pain. The other hovered over him as if to see if he was ok. The one on the floor was on the visiting team while the other was on the home team.  The arena was packed, not a vacant seat in the house. 

As the player from the visiting team was writhing in pain, laying on the floor, the team doctors and trainers ran to him. He needed help. Fortunately there were no major injuries and the injured player was helped to his feet. He shook off his pain and readied himself to go back in the game. 

We have all seen those times in sporting events when someone gets hurt. Play stops, the people in the stands are quiet, and when the injured player rises to his feet to make his way off the field or court, good sportsmanship is exhibited by the fans of both teams and cheers and applause can be heard.

Good sportsmanship was not exhibited in the event I am describing. In what must have been an embarrassment to the home team, their fans were actually cheering because one of their opponents was hurting.  I watched in amazement as the those in the crowd actually were showing their happiness when a competitor was injured. Even the TV commentators mentioned the lack of sportsmanship being shown by the home team's fans. 

It was making my blood boil...........until I thought about it a bit and realized I have been guilty of the same thing. We know of instances in life when an individual is having a low time. Maybe some gossip gets started about something someone "heard" about him. That's when we rush to conclusions and make sure that everyone we know is informed of this person's weakness or sin, and it seems the more times the story is told, the embellishments grow. Before long we find ourselves like the fans in the stand, actually happy about the misfortune of this person, but especially exhibiting a spirit of pride that we are glad we were not so weak to make a mistake like that. 

The sad truth is the same thing happens in the church. We forget who we are and what we are called to do when the sins of another are made known. Churches are well known for bringing about the "kick him while he's down" syndrome.  We serve a God who loves us enough to forgive us, and he also loves and forgives everyone, even our opponents. We should love them, too.  Please read and pray about these verses of Scripture:

Luke 18: 9-14 -- this is the parable of the Pharisee and the tax-collector. 

1 John 4:20 -- Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.

John 13:35 -- By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

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