Isaiah 53 reminds us that collectively, all of us were deserving of an eternal death penalty because of sin, which brought a curse to humanity. But Jesus brought us a way out!
5But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.6All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
There's a story from a high school in Utah that has attracted national attention and deals with the important issue of character among teenagers. A high school coach at Union High School, essentially fed up with the actions of some of his team members, announced that the football team was temporarily being scrapped. All 41 players would have the opportunity to re-earn their spot on the team, but the bad behavior of some of the players and the erosion of character had to be addressed, according to coach Matt Labrum.
According to a story on the Deseret News website, Labrum said, “We felt like everything was going in a direction that we didn’t want our young men going...We felt like we needed to make a stand.”
So the coach and his staff gathered the team together after Friday night's loss to Judge Memorial Catholic High School and told them he was concerned about some of the players' actions and behavior off the field. Some of these actions included cyberbullying and skipping classes. He then instructed them all to turn in their jerseys and their equipment. There would be no football until they earned the privilege to play.
Labrum says, “I think football molds character...We want to help our parents raise their sons. We want to be a positive influence. We want to be an asset.”
During Saturday's team meeting, Labrum gave the suspended players a letter titled "Union Football Character," explaining exactly what the boys would need to do if they wanted to earn their jerseys back.
Instead of practicing during the days leading up to a homecoming game against Emery High tonight, they were told to perform community service, and attend study hall and a class on character development. They were also required to perform service for their own families and write a report about their actions.
The players were told they also need to show up on time and attend all of their classes. And those with bad grades were told they must show improvement if they wanted to play.
The response from parents and administration was overwhelmingly positive. While someone might say that the whole team was punished for the actions of the few and raise the issue of fairness, we can also recognize that all players were given the opportunity to earn their spot on the field.
Broad spiritual implications here? Well, I think for one thing, good character is still desirable in our culture. I believe this story has received national attention because it represents the importance of taking a stand and molding young men to behave properly. If we are behaving in a manner that is consistent with the principles of Scripture, I believe that makes a powerful statement to the people with whom we come in contact. Good character is still important and influential today.
The tool that was used here addressed some of the character issues in the team, and if allowed to go unchecked, that "leaven", as the Bible puts it, would corrupt the entire unit. Sure, there may have been players who were unblemished, but they, like everyone else, even the offenders, had a chance to earn their slot. Coach Labrun recognizes that the activities of a football team are opportunities to do more than just win games, but to build lives and make a permanent impact.
This incident also reminds me of how God has dealt with us. He has dealt, and continues to deal, with collective entities regarding sin. For one thing, because 2 people transgressed in the Garden, humanity was sentenced to eternal punishment. Because of the sins of the few and the fallen nature that followed from original sin, all of us were brought under the death sentence, we were kicked off the team, sort of speak. But, God has made a way through Jesus, the Lamb of God, to make it back on. The condition to be met - accept the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. Also, through the Old Testament, we read accounts of entire nations who were under the judgment of God, but He offered a way into His love and favor - to repent and to follow His ways.
Character's still important today, and the display of Godly character can make a strong impact on people today. And, sometimes strong medicine can help to eradicate bad actions or attitudes - I think of how our loving heavenly Father will use circumstances and conviction which can produce Godly sorrow, which will bring us to repentance. I'm thankful for a God that works in our lives to refine us, even though it may be painful, it's worth it to become more like Jesus.
5But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.6All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
There's a story from a high school in Utah that has attracted national attention and deals with the important issue of character among teenagers. A high school coach at Union High School, essentially fed up with the actions of some of his team members, announced that the football team was temporarily being scrapped. All 41 players would have the opportunity to re-earn their spot on the team, but the bad behavior of some of the players and the erosion of character had to be addressed, according to coach Matt Labrum.
According to a story on the Deseret News website, Labrum said, “We felt like everything was going in a direction that we didn’t want our young men going...We felt like we needed to make a stand.”
So the coach and his staff gathered the team together after Friday night's loss to Judge Memorial Catholic High School and told them he was concerned about some of the players' actions and behavior off the field. Some of these actions included cyberbullying and skipping classes. He then instructed them all to turn in their jerseys and their equipment. There would be no football until they earned the privilege to play.
Labrum says, “I think football molds character...We want to help our parents raise their sons. We want to be a positive influence. We want to be an asset.”
During Saturday's team meeting, Labrum gave the suspended players a letter titled "Union Football Character," explaining exactly what the boys would need to do if they wanted to earn their jerseys back.
Instead of practicing during the days leading up to a homecoming game against Emery High tonight, they were told to perform community service, and attend study hall and a class on character development. They were also required to perform service for their own families and write a report about their actions.
The players were told they also need to show up on time and attend all of their classes. And those with bad grades were told they must show improvement if they wanted to play.
The response from parents and administration was overwhelmingly positive. While someone might say that the whole team was punished for the actions of the few and raise the issue of fairness, we can also recognize that all players were given the opportunity to earn their spot on the field.
Broad spiritual implications here? Well, I think for one thing, good character is still desirable in our culture. I believe this story has received national attention because it represents the importance of taking a stand and molding young men to behave properly. If we are behaving in a manner that is consistent with the principles of Scripture, I believe that makes a powerful statement to the people with whom we come in contact. Good character is still important and influential today.
The tool that was used here addressed some of the character issues in the team, and if allowed to go unchecked, that "leaven", as the Bible puts it, would corrupt the entire unit. Sure, there may have been players who were unblemished, but they, like everyone else, even the offenders, had a chance to earn their slot. Coach Labrun recognizes that the activities of a football team are opportunities to do more than just win games, but to build lives and make a permanent impact.
This incident also reminds me of how God has dealt with us. He has dealt, and continues to deal, with collective entities regarding sin. For one thing, because 2 people transgressed in the Garden, humanity was sentenced to eternal punishment. Because of the sins of the few and the fallen nature that followed from original sin, all of us were brought under the death sentence, we were kicked off the team, sort of speak. But, God has made a way through Jesus, the Lamb of God, to make it back on. The condition to be met - accept the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. Also, through the Old Testament, we read accounts of entire nations who were under the judgment of God, but He offered a way into His love and favor - to repent and to follow His ways.
Character's still important today, and the display of Godly character can make a strong impact on people today. And, sometimes strong medicine can help to eradicate bad actions or attitudes - I think of how our loving heavenly Father will use circumstances and conviction which can produce Godly sorrow, which will bring us to repentance. I'm thankful for a God that works in our lives to refine us, even though it may be painful, it's worth it to become more like Jesus.
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