Cricket and Christianity

From time to time, I'll come across sports like curling or cricket; sports I consider "off-the-wall". I find myself watching for a bit trying to figure out exactly what the goals and components of the game are. I often find these games mildly amusing, but I've never gone beyond novel interest and pursued deeper understanding.

Specifically speaking of cricket, I truly have no idea what any of the terminology means, how points are scored, or even remote knowledge of the rules. I basically know there is a guy that rolls a ball to a guy who is holding a fraternity-paddle-looking thing. The frat guy then tries to hit the ball. The other thing that can happen is the ball rolling guy (I think he is called the bowler) can knock over some wooden sticks that sit behind the frat paddler. In retrospect, I think the frat guy may be protecting the sticks, but that is just a shot in the dark. 

If I developed a true interest, I'd want to understand the rules of the game, the history of the game, learn about professional leagues, or maybe even see if there were any local opportunities to join in a game or spectate. 

As I navigate through life, I often wonder why certain things are the way they are. Why certain things happen. Why people desire what they desire. Much of my life I have tried to hypothesize an explanation for life through the lense of politics, hedonism, pragmatism, or some other value system. If "Group A" offends, hurts, supports, or therewise interacts with "Group B", there is a plethora of sources which explain the ramifications, motivation, and every other facet of the interaction. 

The problem is each entity that makes the views available has an agenda or bias. This could be anywhere on the spectrum of which socks are most comfortable, to how to discipline children,  to global geopolitical events. 

So as I take stock of my life, review my past, and look ahead to the future, I have often felt like I was watching a cricket game. I could see the players moving, but I wasn't exactly sure what the point was. 

As a Christian, I believe the Bible explains, in entirety, the motivation, problem, and solution for all of humanity. It clearly spells out why we want what we want. Why we make the mistakes we make, and what the solution to our imperfect nature it. The Bible is the entire history, rule book, and play book for our lives. 

Furthermore, to continue the game analogy, it not only tells us how to play the game. It tells us the final result. If we elect to place our faith, and believe the Bible and Church hold the absolute Truth, the way we act, the way we respond to hardship, and the way we navigate life will be altered in a way that no value secular value system will be able to explain. Why is this important? Because if the Bible is True, then no secular "life system" will be adequate for "winning" in life. 

Not to be mistaken though, to win in the Biblical sense may not be what a secular system would label a "win". So once again, the Biblical system does not conform to Earthly definitions or rules. But if the Bible is true, basing your life on any other system can only result in loss.

So why does any of this matter? I believe there is a sort of game and to win is to live and to lose is to die. So it's, truly, a life or death game. The Bible literally teaches that Jesus came to defeat death. So anything short of external life is a loss. Jesus promises eternal life in the Bible. 

If you find yourself lost and confused with the world around you, I would invite you to look for meaning, peace, and purpose in Jesus Christ. Study the system and see how it explains the "game" we all participate in. I think you will find Christianity is the most logical lens to view life.