“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
Romans 12:2
On Monday after the Super Bowl, my social media feed was all abuzz. Unfortunately, most of the posts had little to do with the Kansas City victory and more to do with the half-time show.
I wish that I had an excuse not to write this blog. I wish I could say that I never watched the half-time show and was, therefore, ignorant of the very things that everyone was discussing. However, that would not be a truthful statement. I did see it—or at least some of it—before I decided to make an early exit from the party I was attending and head home.
I could tell you that I left because I was offended. I was offended, but I left because I was tired and didn’t want to be out late.
I could tell you that I didn’t turn the television off because it wasn’t my house, but that’s not true either. I didn’t turn the television off or suggest it because I didn’t want to be the one to make a big deal of it.
Although I was in a room full of Christians, many who were complaining about the show, none of us moved to do the very thing that needed to be done.
So, as the social media comments started rolling in, I read and agreed. Of course, there was some justification; some who believed that there was nothing wrong with the show. But most of my Christian friends were in accord. We all thought the show was obscene, a degrading sexualization of females.
However, a single thought continued to haunt me. “Why, then, did we all watch it?”
Whitney Barbary, a Facebook friend-of-a-friend, posted her thoughts. In part she said, “Once you justify something based off of your own feelings, and not HIS feelings about it, you have traveled into the land of flesh. And that’s a slippery place to be. Get out of there as fast as you can. Repent. Ask God for HIS heart. Do you think He was pleased? If He had been sitting in the room with you, would you have continued to watch it? If He was sitting in the room, would you still justify it?”
God’s conviction was complete. As I wrote this, I had to repent. My verbal (or written) condemnation did not match my actions. I watched the show. Complaining about it didn’t justify the fact that I had not turned it off.
As I was writing this, I had to stop and ask God to forgive me for not taking a stand and for being such a poor example. “If I can’t even take a stand in a house full of professing Christians, dear God, how will I ever stand up for You among the lost? How can I make a difference for your Kingdom’s sake? Forgive me, Lord.”
I can’t help but wonder, instead of participating in all the post-commentary, what if all of us as Christians stopped watching the Super Bowl half-time shows? Maybe it would make a difference. Maybe it wouldn't, but we would at least know that we were following our convictions, living what we say we believe.
While I failed, I know that not everyone did. Praise the Lord, I witnessed a godly teenage nephew remove himself from the room in order to not watch. I was also thankful to find out later that my husband (who was watching elsewhere) chose not to watch either. Their examples help give me courage to do better next time.
Of course, this doesn't just apply to the Super Bowl; it applies to every area of our lives. As Christians, we all should ask whether Jesus would approve of what we do, say, watch, and think. The world will not and should not be expected to care about what Jesus thinks. But, if we claim to know, love and serve Christ, we should. Our responsibility is not to change them; our responsibility to cooperate with God in changing us.