I just had an interesting exchange with Josh of Officers Christian Fellowship who is responsible for posting some videos I shot to replace my speaking engagement at Spring Canyon which was canceled for COVID-19. To illustrate teamwork, I usually show a video of the final play in Clemson’s victory over Alabama in January 2017. It’s reduced to a slide for the video presentation.

Our email conversation went like this:

• Josh: I just saw your slides, Bob…specifically the Clemson image. I’m afraid I cannot allow this to be posted, especially when it was a blatant illegal pick-play that won the game for Clemson.
• Bob: As I told the last guy who said that, “If it had been an illegal pick play, surely it would have been called!” Are you an Alabama guy or an Ohio State guy? 😊
• Josh: Roll Tide Roll. [He’s an Alabama guy!]
• Bob: I have degrees from Clemson AND Auburn. War Eagle!
• Josh: Oh my goodness. I’m afraid those videos won’t be posted until next year sometime!
• Josh: All joking aside… Do you have a short bio and maybe a photo I can include when I post your video to the OCF website?

All in good fun. Even though we’re members of different tribes (universities and teams we root for), we recognize our oneness in Christ and commitment to the same mission. We also recognize, as do most sports fans, that who we root for defines little else about us. Our talents, our character, our work ethic, etc. Perhaps our approach to race and ethnicity should be similar.

After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (Revelation 7.9, 10, NIV)