Witness - false and true

Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus... Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord... Colossians 3:17, 23

Jesus said, “Be perfect... as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:48

It was good to see pictures of Roberto Firmino being baptised recently. (In case you’re not a football fan, Firmino is the Liverpool centre-forward and one of the world’s top players.) Quite funny too that he was supported in the pool by Alisson Becker, the Liverpool goal-keeper - apparently Firmino felt he needed someone “with a safe pair of hands” to be there for him, and Becker certainly has that.

It’s pretty common these days for top footballers, sometimes Christians, sometimes Muslims, to be open about their religious allegiance. A little further back it wasn’t much heard of, though various names do come to mind, such as Gavin Peacock, Jermain Defoe and (still playing) Bournemouth’s “holy goalie” Artur Boruc. Way, way back I can remember Jimmy Armfield, a member of the 1966 World Cup squad, who was always open about his faith (and who played the organ at his local church).

Of course, any sports person who “goes public” is putting themselves under a lot of pressure. Footballers in particular can hardly move a muscle, on or off the pitch, without ending up in the papers or on social media. This, I suppose, is the price they pay for the spotlight of fame and the massive sums of money they are paid.

But just let them step out of line and the charge of hypocrisy is quickly levelled: “Huh, I thought you were supposed to be a Christian!” Exactly those words were directed by a fielder to a batsman who, having touched the ball to the wicket-keeper (meaning he was out), refused to walk. “So much for your Christianity!”

Some years ago now another group of high-profile Christian cricketers were found to be heavily involved in match-fixing. That didn’t go down too well with the fans. And there’s a footballer still playing in the Premier League that I always keep my eye out for. No doubt about his faith; but no doubt either about his willingness to pull his opponent’s shirt or jab his elbows into his ribs.

The basic principle is simple: if we claim to be a Christian, let’s make sure we act as a Christian. You can get baptised twenty times over - you can profess to follow Jesus a thousand times over - but if it isn’t reflected in the way you live it’s all a sham.

What’s this got to do with ordinary people like most of us? Well, you and I may never occupy that kind of limelight. But in principle we are in exactly the same position - it’s just that the people who might notice our hypocrisy are numbered in handfuls rather than millions. You can be a rank bad witness just as much in the office, or the shop floor, or the school, or... well, wherever you find yourself in the course of your everyday life.

As I look back over my life I can think of various people who tell me I was instrumental in helping to draw them to Christ. I am humbled as I think of them.

But just occasionally I find myself wondering: how many people might there be who did not come to Christ because of me? - people who looked at some aspect of my behaviour or personality and thought, “Thanks but no thanks. If that’s what Christians can be like, you can include me out”. It doesn’t have to be anything particularly gross that does the damage - a flash of anger, perhaps, or a reputation for unreliability, a slipshod attitude to work, or a touch of arrogance.

How often have we been a bad advertisement for Christianity?

Twice in Colossians 3 Paul urges his readers to be the very best they can be “whatever you do” - whether you’re a bus driver or a star centre-forward. We are commanded to do everything - not just “the religious bits” - for the glory of Jesus. And never far from our minds must be the simple words of Jesus himself: “Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect”.

As far as I know, Roberto Firmino is a model of Christian integrity. But the temptations will be great. In a way I feel quite sorry for him, because football is a fast, frenetic game, and one that is bound to involve physical contact, and we all know what can happen in the heat of the moment. (To this day, though I wasn’t quite in the Firmino class in my playing days, I still remember the moment somebody deliberately raked his studs across my shins. It’s a good job he was moving fast, because I’m not sure what I might have done if he’d stayed within reach.)

Many eyes are focussed on the top celebrities. But many eyes are focussed on you and me too. May God help us to remember it minute by minute.

Father, I pray for followers of Jesus who are public figures. Thank you for them and for the witness they show to the world. Help them to be strong, disciplined and wise. But help me too to live my life day by day as one who is a Christian in more than just name. Amen.