This blog, Pride, The Olympics, and Being Sad, is not going to be what you think. I know what you are thinking. I asked the question on social media, “What did you think about the opening ceremony of the Olympics?” I thought I would either just get a few clicks on the emotional buttons and that would be it, or cause quite the stir. It was a simple question.
I was a guest at a church one Sunday, filling in for a pastor on vacation. I prepared a simple message, Pride. As I was rolling out the message, I asked the congregation for a response. “Who here is proud of a member of your family or something they have accomplished?
Crickets
After asking the question, you could hear crickets chirping. I think the people there that day thought it was a trick question, because…
Proverbs 11:12a ESV – When pride comes, then comes disgrace.
Proverbs 29:23a ESV – One’s pride will bring him low.
Proverbs 16:18a ESV – Pride goes before destruction.
So there was no one there that wanted to be the example of being baited into the one being prideful, so no one moved, save one. I asked if there was anyone who wanted to share what they were proud of. After a moment of awkward silence, finally, one man humbly stood up. This was over 30 years ago but I still remember it as clear as ever today. With a soft, meek voice, he simply said, “I am proud of and love my family.” And he sat back down.
One definition of Pride, the one this humble man was referring to, is this – pleasure that comes from some relationship, association, or achievement of others, that is seen as a source of honor. But the other Pride I want to address is this:
Pride (noun) – reasonable self-esteem : confidence and satisfaction in oneself.
What Pride Really Is
This definition seems ‘reasonable’ and innocent enough. But spiritually speaking, an extreme statement would be, “I did it my way.” This has the connotation of doing it apart from God or even disregarding God.
Without a clear focus directly on God, even just a slight turning from Him is a way of saying, “I’ve got this God, and I’ll get back to you later” if at all. This is pride.
I find it ironic that movements away from God and His word, whether you call it the Now Culture, being Progressive, keeping up with the times, moving forward, or whatever other justifications, the groups themselves use the word, Pride. Is there a correlation? I don’t know, but the definition fits in that it is in opposition to the word of God.
Olympics Opening Ceremony
I’m not condemning anyone here. I am simply making an observation. And so let me get to the question I posed on social media asking thoughts about the opening ceremony of the Olympics.
First, I certainly was not surprised by the range of responses to my question. And obviously, the ceremony brought out a lot of emotion. Also, I learned some things about the history of France and its deep Greek culture. That doesn’t mean I have to start living it out in my life. Also, it means that it would be silly for me to ‘not believe in it’ because it was, it is, France’s history.
A Bacchanalia (honoring Bacchus) is an uncontrollably promiscuous, extravagant, and loud party. The parties, happening for thousands of years, often spanned several days and honored the god of wine, Bacchus (the blue person covered in grapevine). He is also known as Dionysus, the Greek god of fertility, later known as the god of wine and pleasure. Isn’t it possible the people at those parties gathered around tables and sat together just like Jesus and the Disciples?
Were there some things that looked suspiciously like The Last Supper and the Pale White Horse out of Revelations? Maybe. But did you take the time to learn the history of France and the portrayal of that? Maybe you were offended that they depicted the debauchery of the god of Bacchus with transgender people.
Offended Christians – The Sad Part of My Post
I will offend some Christians here. If this is you, don’t stop reading! Let’s start with this:
You are so worried about being offended. You are so angry that you cannot love. And maybe you jumped to conclusions in feeling attacked. It seems justified, but is it? Is this how you are going to spend your life? Being offended and angry?
Are you also offended by the person who pulled out in front of you? And offended by the person who disagreed with you at work, or maybe even at church? And now you may even be offended by me. Offended that I am not offended and angry about “them” making a mockery of Christianity….but not the other religions!
Some of you didn’t even get offended by the opening ceremony until you were sure others were offended, and then you joined the bandwagon.
Is It Working?
For one to say to others, “This is enough and I am offended and angry,” accomplishes what? Let me ask you this. How effective is your anger that comes from being offended? How’s it going for you? Is it working or changing anything?
- Is it making you more like Jesus?
- Is it pointing others to the life, the intimacy, the freedom, and the joy of Christ?
You can see a great message on this here from Craig Groeshel with the Life Church.
James 1:19-20 NIV
19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.
The other sad part is this – our sin and past. Don’t make me write down all the scriptural truths on this from Jesus. But my favorite is regarding a couple caught in adultery out of John 8. Of course, the guy disappeared, but the woman was brought before Jesus. They all wanted to stone her but Jesus said,
John 8:7b NIV
“Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”
Will You Be The First to Cast a Stone?
Matthew 7:3 ESV
Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
We have all sinned. Sin is sin though you may rank sins in your head as some greater than others. But turning from God is turning from God. One sin has no variance over another. Even the slightest turn from God is a sin. So check for the log in your eye.
There are consequences set in place for our sins and what we do unto others. I can name quite a few spiritual principles in play here. Either it will play out and the consequences will be served, or like many of us, great mercy and grace will prevail because of our Lord Jesus Christ and the sacrifice He made for this to be so.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. The Church is really blowing it. Let me reword that…Christ is the head, seated at the right hand of the Father, it is the body of Christ who is blowing it. Not Jesus, not God the Father, not the Holy Spirit. God has given the body of Christ everything they need to go out and reflect Jesus, His love, His healing, His mercy, and grace, to a lost and hurting world.
Challenge of the Week
Simple, reflect Jesus. If your view of Him is clouded, get clarity to better reflect Him to others. So be it.
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Amen! Thank you for sharing. I couldn’t agree more.
Thanks Karie. See my comment to Tom Cannon. I know all don’t agree, but I sure appreciate the encouragement from you, Tom, and others. My prayer is that we approach anything we do with the heart and eyes of God. Perfect love casts out fear. May we see Him clearly! Amen.
I have to say I did not watch but like most, certainly heard the reverberations. This has been a real learning experience and had me think perhaps this was in Gods plan all along? I’m still glad I didn’t watch as my response likely would have been very much the same. However, after further following along this story I have really focused on my response should be vs what the real intention of the message that was trying to be portrayed. Perhaps it was a mock of The Last Supper? Perhaps it was depicting the French culture and Dionysus? Perhaps the error was that some interpretation of what was actually happening could have been provided to the commentators of the broadcast to share?
I appreciate your response and follow up here. As mentioned it has been a learning point for me and something I will try to take forward with me in my daily walk.
Tom, thanks for your comment. I too am trying to take it all in from God’s perspective, from His heart. I did not watch it live, nor have I watched the whole ceremony. All I heard were the reactions from “Christians” from being very angry, which many say are justified. Righteous anger? I don’t know. I do know that my heart breaks. It breaks for Christians who seem to be so hurt by this that it’s more about revenge and how “those” who did this ‘pissed’ millions of Christians off; to the other side of their lostness if in fact they celebrate and are lost in the history of France and the Greek gods. And evidently the way I communicated it didn’t set well with some. But I get it, it was/is a very humanly emotional situation from many angles.