Level playing field
Photo by Jahoo Clouseau: https://www.pexels.com/photo/green-grass-388415/
Last weekend was the final of Wimbledon and the Euro’s. Thousands of tennis and football fans watched and cheered their player or team compete for the prize.
It was a double win for Spain! Carlos Alcaraz beat Novak Djokovic in the men’s tennis, whilst in football, England were defeated by their Spanish rivals.
It must have been a disappointing end for many, particularly the football fans, no doubt a few Monday morning hangovers.
In both tennis and football there is something that they have in common: the players change ends. In tennis they change at the end of the first, third, fifth game, and so on until the end of the set. In football it’s done after half time.
I’m not sure of the origins of this, but I guess it’s to do with fairness. It needs to be a ‘level playing field’ so that everyone has the same chance and opportunity as each other.
When I was at junior school, I somehow made it on to the football B team! We visited a local school for a game and their pitch was on a slight incline. It was great when we played downhill!
The idea of a ‘level playing field’ popped up whilst I was reading the book of Romans in the Bible recently. The context is not sport, but about humankinds’ relationship to God. It says…
“…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
The writer, Paul, said that all people are separated from God. In other words, it’s a ‘level playing field’ and we are all on it together.
In my experience as a Pastor, I sometimes meet people who believe that they are ‘not bad’. This is because they are comparing themselves to others, some of whom have done awful things. I think the problem with this perspective is that it can be very subjective.
In contrast, the Bible is clear, everyone has fallen short, and therefore we all need help! That is hard to take in, considering some of histories bad characters. However, there is good news…
Jesus came to help everyone! His intervention is universal and available to all. Everyone has the same chance and opportunity as each other. How big hearted is that!
God bless you :)
Gary Bastin - Hope Community Church leader