The Other Side of the Stands...

For sixteen football seasons we were residents of the Mars School Disctrict.  On many occasions during those years I attended a Mars football game--high school varsity, high school junior varsity, 9th grade and 8th grade.  EVERY time I went, I sat on the Mars side, the home side of the stands.  Other than running past the "visitors" stands when I was working out on the track, I had never even been near them.  Until yesterday.  Yesterday, Knoch's 8th grade team played Mars 8th grade team.  While we have players from New Life that attend both schools, I now LIVE in the Knoch school district.  Emmy wanted to go to the game (and so did I!).  When we entered the stadium, I naturally walked over to the "home" side of the field and up into the stands.  Then I realized it--I'm a "visitor."  I "belong" on the other side of the field, in the other stands.  I walked half way around the field.  It was a new perspective.  I'd never looked at the field from the "other side of the stands."  As the game progressed, I kept thinking about the difference.  I still didn't know many of the parents, as we're relatively new to the district, and it still feels strangerooting for Knoch instead of Mars---but the change is happening.

I realized that this situation is an analogy for what happens in our walk of faith.  We all start out on one side of the "stands" and it's the WRONG side.  We belong to Satan.  The viewpoint becomes natural over time, and the longer it takes us to go to the "other side of the stands" the bigger deal it becomes.  Jesus calls us to "sit" with Him.  Jesus has already "bought the ticket."  We just have to walk around to the other side of the stands--from death to life, from defeat to victory.   PLEASE, take the analogy for what it's worth--I'm not saying that Knoch is heaven, or that Mars is hell.  I'm just making that point that change is necessary for us to move from the world's side to God's side; that the perspective is different, and that ultimately we can only be victors if we make the change.

Knoch won the game, by the way--12-6.  So the analogy stands.  Which side of the stands are you on right now?  I'd love to hear from you--to hear when and how you made it to the other side of the stands, or if you need to know HOW to make that move.  Comments are ALWAYS welcome!