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Lessons A Christian Can Learn From My Favourite Football Team
The team was not giving it's all, star players did not show up in some big games. The coach stubbornly refused to change tactics, sticking to mediocre players and refusing to buy the right players. As a result Arsenal miss out on the Champions League, a league they had consistently participated in for 20 seasons. So you my be asking, What's there to learn?
Lesson One
Progressive Backsliding
*[[Jer 8:5]] KJ2000* Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return.
Backsliding is defined as sliding back. For the last 13 years my favourite team has been sliding away from being champions of England. In the last 7 seasons they have lost after the group stage of the Champions league. Yes as fans we can say we have been there these last 20 years but what progress have we made since we lost the 2006 final to Barcelona.
You see backsliding doesn’t necessarily mean you leave church and go back into the world. It means you can still be in church and still backslide. You can still be among the active Christians but still not make progress. Yes we have done incredible things as a club, built a massive stadium, repaid loans and with a makeshift team still managed to compete for the top 4 each season but missing out on Champions League football will reveal that we are a backslidden team.
My brethren don’t be caught up in such a scenario where your life is a ritual that sees you mentioned among serious contenders for the Kingdom yet deep down you are going under. Find it in your heart to flee perpetual backsliding and return to the former love you used to have. Jesus says to the church at Ephesus
*[[Rev 2:5]] KJ2000* Remember therefore from where you are fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto you quickly, and will remove your lampstand out of its place, except you repent.
For Arsenal to return to the big league they must remember from where they have fallen and do the things that brought Arsene Wenger to becoming the team’s greatest coach. Its not time to blame shift but to self inspect and make the necessary changes. Finger pointing will not solve your issues but inward inspection will. If you too have failed in some regard turn back and return to what made you an effective Christian.
Lesson Two
Resistance To Change
*[[Jer 13:23]] KJ2000* Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may you also do good, that are accustomed to doing evil.
Arsene Wenger has been a disciple of using small, skilful, technical and fast players to get the job done. Gone are the days of big midfielders like the great Patrick Vierra and Emmanuel Petit. Arsenal changed from a 4-4-2 formation to a 4-5-1 formation which opposition teams adjusted to and worked against effectively.
Chelsea having been walloped 3-0 in an earlier in the season by the Gunners turned to a back 3 and the result was a 13 match unbeaten streak. Today we see them as reigning champions. Arsenal changed to a back 3 in its last few games and ended up missing the top 4 because they had religiously refused to change.
As a Christian, the Holy Spirit nudges one to change and we resist the change. One will change and we see positive growth and yet the one who refuses to change remains like a leopard. Bitter rivals Tottenham changed and today sit as runners up. It means we need to adapt to changes around us as well. Remember we are in the world but not of it.
Jesus encourages the church to be as innocent as doves yet as cunning as serpents. What good is it if we keep doing the same thing over and over yet getting the same results? When a season in the Spirit changes adjust to that change lest you remain behind while the leading pack are breaking away.
With talk of backroom changes coming to Arsenal, Wenger has indicated that he will not accept that change. Come on child of God, if those Christians around you are making headway, whats stopping you.
Lesson Three
Living In Past Glory
*[[Hag 2:3]] KJ2000* Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do you see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing?
Arsenal have qualified for the Champions League consistently for 20 seasons a feat unequalled by the current top 6 clubs. They have a glorious past, but like I said it's all in the past. How many of us are living in the former glory? Arsenal is one of the fewest club that own a stadium they don’t owe anyone for. They have developed some of the game’s best players case in point Thiery Henry, Ashley Cole, Cesc Fabregas, Patrick Vierra and Gilberto Silva to name but a few. But these are past glories.
Compare the Invincible team with the current one what does it look like compared to this current one? What are your past glories like? How good were you when it came to things to do with your Christianity? How much of the Word were you full of, how many books had you read? How much prayer had you generated and how do you rate that with the now?
We need to look at our lives and see whether we are living in the past or whether we are living in the desired time. I believe a break from the past successes will give Arsenal a fresh perspective into the future and help us readjust our focus going forward
Lesson Four
Duplicity
*[[Jas 1:8]] KJ2000* A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.
Duplicity is double mindedness. It is saying one thing while doing another. Arsenal have demonstrated a double mindedness in the way they have handled the league. Every season they tell the world that they are going to challenge for honours but they do something totally different. They end up contending just for the Champions League. Imagine even when they get there they are always in two minds- avoid Barcelona or Bayern Munich and UEFA always gives them either.
Duplicity is pretense. Whenever there is team talk, Arsenal players talk well of their coach, heaping praises on all he has “done” for them but when they get on the pitch they let him down. They pretend to have the fans at heart but they go on to be duplicitous week in, week out. Recently there was talk of Antoinne Griezman questioning the honesty of Arsenal in previous transfer dealings saying the duplicitous tendencies of Arsenal have hindered his willingness to sign for the club.
We too need to be a people of one mind, one speech, one heart and one action. We need to be a people of our word. When we promise the fans that we are going to win the league for them why not do just that, literally break a leg for them.
Lesson Five
Need For Growth
*[[Isa 54:2]] KJ2000* Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of your habitations: spare not, lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes;
Growth is key in any aspect of life. Arsenal need to outgrow certain players, certain individuals and certain systems. For the team to grow there is need to enlarge the player pool and get world-class players. Currently Alexis Sanchez, Petr Cech and Mesut Ozil are the recognised world-class talents. But there is room for players like Robert Lewandoski, Aubemeyang, Benzema and the like
Any serious Christian has to grow in the Christian walk. You cannot honestly remain at the same place all your life, there has to be advancement. Apostle Paul states, “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things (1 Corinthians 13v11). There has to be a point where one grows up from a child to an adult.
Lesson Six
Stewardship & Frugality
*[[Heb 13:17]] KJ2000* Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
*[[Luk 16:2]] KJ2000* And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of you? give an account of your stewardship; for you may be no longer steward.
Stewardship and frugality are the hallmark of Arsenal. Arsene Wenger has been a master of stewardship and frugality. He moved from the old Highbury and built The Emirates accounting for every penny used in the process. Through countless seasons Wenger has bought average players and mounted serious title challenges. He has sold players for a great amounts making massive profits in the process. If you want to learn frugality get your lessons from the Economics professor Wenger
Stewardship basically means being accountable for what has been entrusted to your care. Arsene Wenger is a father to many of his players and has been responsible for their development as well as for managing every aspect of Arsenal. The name Arsene is synonymous with Arsenal, what are you known for?
Frugality is spending wisely. Wenger will not pay over the odds for any player. When the bidding war escalates he will back off. He has learnt to be frugal through building the stadium and the team.
We should take our lessons there, just don't spend money because you have it. Know when to use it and for the right reasons
Lesson Seven
Time For Change
*[[Dan 2:21]] KJ2000* And he changes the times and the seasons: he removes kings, and sets up kings: he gives wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding
Whether Mr Wenger goes or remains, change is coming to Arsenal. For the first time in his Arsenal career he will be forced to participate in the Europa League. His successor, if any, will be forced to build a new team, buy new players and try and convince the two star players to commit to the team
Seasons and times have changed. Arsenal is no longer the great and mighty team it was. For the fear factor to return, there is need to embrace that change and work around rebuilding the fallen walls. Jerusalem was once a well respected city with everything to die for. But one days it's walls were burnt to the ground. It took a 52 day change of mindset to get the structures up again. But through discouragement, fear and pain they got the job done.
As a believer there will be winds of change. Your attitude will determine the success or failure of that change. If you choose to sit there in that place of failure and sulk you will die. But like Wenger If you look at a top 5 finish as not a bad thing considering your failures throughout the seasons you can rise again. Europa may not be that glorious but its worth the shot
Conclusion
As I conclude I want to say this, don't support Arsenal seasonally, be an all weather fan not moved by the form of your team, the attitude of your fans. Know that you have people who are backing you all the way. If your Chairman and CEO have your back it means your are in for the long haul.
The writer to the Hebrews says something great, *[[Heb 12:1]] KJ2000* Therefore seeing we also are surrounded with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which does so easily ensnare us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.
Don’t lose heart keep supporting the dream and team. Failure is not measured by your fall. It is measured by your inability to get up from that fall. If you are a Christian and you are a soccer fan know one thing, there will be ups and downs but as long as you are running your race, one day you will win the prize.
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