Today, millions of people will be sitting down in front of their television to watch week 1 of the National Football League. At the same time, hundreds of thousands of sports fans will be skipping church so that they can tailgate before entering one of 13 football stadiums scattered across the United States of America. Meanwhile, tens of millions of anxious cell phones, computers and televisions with the NFL Network Package from Direct TV will be constantly flicking, refreshing and scanned to see if they win their first fantasy football game which will end well past midnight into Tuesday morning on the East Coast.
So I have a question: is there anything unusual or wrong with this? I was introduced to the term footbaal while attending a Monday night Bible study in Cleveland, Ohio during my college internship in golf course design and maintenance. This study lasted from 7:00-8:30 pm, with the leader often seeing impatience in the eyes of many men once 8:30 approached. Thus, the term footbaal was coined, used nearly early week in our closing prayer as many rushed to their cars to make it home in time for the 9:00 pm kickoff, Eastern Standard Time.
As I read the 10 commandments in Exodus 20, the first 2 stick out like a sore thumb. Beginning in verse 3 thru 4, “you shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.” Since everything covers everything, my former Bible study leader was correct in his description of the term footbaal. If this is true, now what?
For the past 12 years, I have been one of those people tuned into see if I won my fantasy game. Back when I had savings, I would lay down some coin to attend an Eagles game each year, sometimes even 2 games. However, with the truth right in front of me, its hard not to throw it all away and begin again. Peter’s advice in 1 Peter 2:11-12 is to live in the world, but not of the world. I am not sure what I am going to do, yet to start with I have to abstain from those things which are warring against my soul. Be careful today as you watch footbaal or you too may be breaking the first and second commandments.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 