By Tyson Thorne

June 6, 2018
 

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While we at Think-Biblically.com generally steer away from politics and sports as topics for articles, there are occasions when something is just too good to not comment on. What erupted in yesterdays news cycle (no pun intended, reader's in Hawaii) deserves a brief recap. During the last football season a player by the name of Colin Kaepernick started to kneel during the national anthem that is played before every game. He did this in order to bring awareness to social injustice particularly regarding police and low income black communities. President Trump has stated (repeatedly) that such behavior disrespects the nation and its flag.

No matter where you stand on the issue, mixing politics and sports is never a good idea. The NFL organization bears some responsibility for not addressing the issue immediately. Instead, they let the entire season go by before announcing a compromise position; an entire season during which players, politicians and sports fans became increasingly divided. The Season ended on February 4th when the Philadelphia Eagles beat the New England Patriots in Superbowl 52. As is the tradition, the wining team of our national sports (football, baseball and hockey) get to have a private audience with, and recognition from, the President of the United States. The date for the Eagles to receive their White House honors was scheduled for this week.

In a play to make a political statement, many of the Eagle's team members began to cancel at the last minute. When the list of invitees dwindled to 10 people, president Trump canceled the event. Sensing that the event was being turned into a political statement, the president decided to pull the rug out from under the perpetrators by not giving them a platform. Was this decision wise? Maybe from a political viewpoint, but that isn't what we're interested in at Think-Biblically.com. No, I bring this up because it is rare for real life to so closely imitate a parable of Jesus.

Jesus said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time for the banquet he sent his slave to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, because everything is now ready.’ But one after another they all began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going out to examine them. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I just got married, and I cannot come.’ So the slave came back and reported this to his master. Then the master of the household was furious...
— Luke 14.16-21a

In this parable a man planned an important event, and sent out the invitations. It was expected everyone would come, so important was the banquet. At the last minute, those invited began to back out and cancel. Is it just me, or does this sound exactly like what happened to Donald Trump? The President's solution may have been politically expedient, but following the parable might have been a better solution both personally and politically.

Then the master of the household was furious and said to his slave, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and alleys of the city, and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’ Then the slave said, ‘Sir, what you instructed has been done, and there is still room.’ So the master said to his slave, ‘Go out to the highways and country roads and urge people to come in, so that my house will be filled. For I tell you, not one of those individuals who were invited will taste my banquet!’”
— Luke 14.21-24

The host of the banquet brought in others to take the place of those invited, and pulled of the event regardless. In this way, what he had purposed to do was accomplished, even if it was with different people. How does this apply to the Philadelphia Eagles celebration at the White House? What if the president had, instead of canceling the event, held a lottery consisting of Eagle's season ticket holders and invited them to replace the players who backed out? Trump could have then taken the high road, stating that football isn't about politics it's about the fans. It could have been a teachable moment for the players who backed out, those who attended, and even the nation.

It goes to show that thinking Biblically is always the best idea.

 
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