When I was at the gym this week, I was talking to a young man who has two daughters. I had learned from an earlier conversation that his children play soccer, or football as they call it, in the rest of the world. He coaches his daughters’ teams. I asked him how their games went last weekend. He said the team he coached played a “dirty” team. I asked him what that meant, and he explained that the opposing team players were elbowing, tripping, and outright running into his players. He spoke of asking the referee for help to calm the situation. When that didn’t work, he went to the other coach at halftime and asked if he could reign his team in while they played. The opposing coach responded by saying that is how they play the game in select. The peaceful dad went back to his ailing team and said, “Okay, girls, the only way to stop these girls from hurting us is to win the game.” The pep talk worked. His team won the game. After the game, as is the custom in all sporting events, each team went to a sideline and met in the middle of the field for a final handshake. During that time, the peaceful dad and his team offered their hands to the opposing team. As they did this, a few girls from the other team would not shake hands. My friend then said that their coach let them do that. He then said if one of my girls did that, he would confront them and make them shake hands.
As I reflect on the peaceful dad’s final comment, I am reminded of my own coaching days. I recall coaching basketball, baseball, and softball for all four of my kids. We didn’t always win, and we were often on the losing end. However, what was always important to me was that we shook hands after the game. This act, for me and others, was a demonstration of respect and good sportsmanship, values that are crucial in all relationships.
I wonder, will you and I show respect to people after the first Tuesday in November? Will we shake hands and say it was a good race. Let’s be friends. That is what Paul challenges us to do, so to speak, when he writes in Romans 12:18, “If possible, as far as it depends on you live at peace with everyone.” We are to strive for peace. What would our world be like if we could strive for peace in all our relationships? As we do that though let us be reminded that our job is to stick out our hand desiring it would be reciprocated. If it is not, then Jesus encourages us in Matthew 5:44 to “love our enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
In the days to come, let’s be the first to extend our hand in friendship, even if it’s not always received. Let’s remember to pray for those who may not reciprocate, understanding that Jesus loved them enough to die on the cross for their sins.