Silent soccer is coming in September.
Due to an alarming number of occurrences of referee abuse, the SC Youth Soccer Association (SCYSA) announced that parents and spectators should remain silent during youth soccer games in September. There are numerous documented incidents where referees, including teenage refs, have been pushed to the ground or harmed by angry parents during and after youth soccer games.
It's hard to believe that SCYSA has to resort to silencing parents in order to send a clear message. Hard to believe, unless you've watched youth soccer matches recently and seen how seemingly harmless, kind parents can transform into aggressive and indignant parents when the whistle blows and their young son or daughter takes the field. Instead of encouraging their child to play hard and have fun, many parents attend their child's game and lose persepctive. Winning replaces recreation and the scoreboard becomes the ultimate goal.
It's easy to lose perspective at youth sporting events. It's easy for parents to forget what's important about youth sports. There are numerous opinions about this "Silent September" decision by SCYSA. Some support it and others believe the policy goes too far. Regardless of whether this is the right course of action for youth soccer in the Palmetto State, hopefully it will help parents regain perspective (and improve behavior towards referees).
Proper perspective is important, yet easy to lose.
In Mark 11, James and John come to Jesus Christ with a modest request. They ask Jesus to do whatever they ask of him.
It is an understatement to call this a bold request. Ultimately, James and John want a job promotion from Jesus Christ. They want to be vice presidents in his kingdom. They want to advance their own agenda and they want Jesus Christ to help them.
Sadly, they have lost perspective. They come to Christ hoping he can help them advance their own plans. They come to Christ with the wrong perspective - a view that is self-centered, self-absorbed, and flat out selfish.
In contrast, a blind man named Bartimaeus comes to Jesus Christ with the perspective that his only hope is found in Jesus. He leaves everything behind to come to him. He comes with complete faith in Jesus Christ. His perspective is shaped by trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. He comes knowing that his only hope is found in the Son of God.
James and John display a desire for power and authority, but Bartimaeus demonstrates a humble attitude that comes to Christ for healing. He comes to Christ to be made whole again. These two incidents from Mark 11 are a reminder of the proper spiritual perspective you should have with the Triune God. Come to him like the blind man, with nothing to offer him, nothing to demand of him, but only to receive his grace and mercy. Come to him to be made whole again, knowing that he is able to save you from sin and death and give you the gift of eternal life.