"God answers my prayers everywhere except on the golf-course."
Loving your neighbour - [the referee and the opposing coach]
Last weekend saw Manchester United confirm themselves as serious contenders for the Premiership title. It was also the weekend when Sir Alex Ferguson completed an amazing 20 years as manager (head coach) at Manchester United. The newspapers should have been full of it.
Sadly the main Monday headlines were of two other Premiership coaches jostling each other on the touchline and of a third coach claiming that his team's defeat was all the fault of the officials.
Jesus told his followers to "Love your neighbour as yourself"(Matthew 22:39). Loving the officials when you feel that the vital calls have gone against you is not easy. Congratulating the opposing coach when you feel that his celebrations have been over the top is not easy. But then who said that following Jesus would be easy?
Coach Dean Smith tells the story of a close game which his Carolina team were winning. "The players were understandably excited near the end of the game. I called them over to our bench and told them, 'Finish this off with class. Shake their hands and congratulate them - and then we'll celebrate in the dressing room with the door closed.'" (Dean Smith, The Carolina Way, page 42). That is the standard to aspire to.
I am not blaming the Premier League coaches for their behaviour. I know that as a player and as a parent spectator, my own reaction to controversial calls was not always something I was proud of. The standard that Jesus sets is a high.
Spring 2007