Monday 26 May 2008

football and grace.



Bristol City could have been in the Premiership next season 'if only' .... there was just the one goal in it. I've lived in Bristol for 17 years and I think I love the place more than anywhere else I've lived now. I'm always glad when City do well - and they have had a good season despite losing to Hull in the play off final. The trouble is, I'm always glad when Rovers do well too. As you can imagine, this does nothing to endear me to either set of supporters, but neither does it mean I get upset when either doesn't win. Try as I might, I can't shed any tears for City not winning at Wembley last Saturday. I can sympathise and empathise, but for real tears ... Liverpool have to be involved. So what makes a football supporter? I wasn't born a Liverpool fan, it's difficult to explain satisfactorily  'why' to unbelievers, ilfe would be much easier without bothering (or I could just pop along the road to Ashton Gate if I could support City), Maggie would think I was far more mature if I could avoid those irrational Saturday afternoon moments: - it is actually so much like how as Christians we describe grace! 
Maybe we overlook how much emotion has to do with people's response to pretty much anything they think is important. Jesus always seems to appeal to both head and heart. I'm not saying thanks to City for losing, but it's worth thinking about.

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