Play for the spectators

DESMOND ARMSTRONG, a USA national team player, said recently what he considered to be one of the most dangerous things for a team sport.

“We may have players with a lot of talent, but if we do not play together, we will end up being 11 people who go to 11 different places. To play for ourselves and our own honour is the surest way to break up a team”.

In all walks of life, we run the risk of performing for those watching us. In our school, work, family, church and with our friends. We are very good at hiding our true feelings in order to look good. We are capable of living our lives performing for the whole world.

We look like good students, we look as though we are good friends, we look as if we love our family and we look very spiritual.

We want others to see us and praise us. Whenever anyone says, “You are so good, so understanding, so...”  we think we have the world at our feet.

Even more dangerous than this is if we only do those things because we know that people will admire us.

Perhaps it doesn't matter to us what is right, just or true. What matters to us is that we look good, are admired, loved and appreciated. What does it matter if we have fooled everyone a little?

Does it matter if others suffer the consequences of our actions? Does it matter if we become more and more proud of ourselves? Surely, the most important thing is to perform well for the spectators.

The person who is not willing to help others, nor work for the common good but only for their self indulgence, does not deserve to be understood.

We must remember that when we want to take all the glory from the prizes we achieve, we are putting the honour in a very fragile place (ourselves) and we forget that the glory belongs to God and God alone.

Once and for all, let's stop playing for the spectators and give our all for others... and for the glory of God.