Lessons from the football pitch

For those who don't know me I am a member of the true religion in that I follow the Arsenal. Having been brought up minutes walk from the ground I have no other alternative and poured pity on the relatives who, living down the hill, were of the Tottenham faith (a heathen bunch for sure - but we alternated grounds each week and the rivalry was always friendly so I continued to care about them).
  
Of late, our manager, a man who is in danger of being called Arsene Whinger rather than Wenger if he doesn't stop upsetting some of the lower intelligence managers and pundits in the game, provided some interesting faith lessons for us.
  
Arsenal, having gone to Liverpool and taking three points after coming from a one-nil deficit, showed themselves to be in possession of footballing ability, mental strength (Wenger loves talking about that) and determination to be victorious in the fact of attack (and crowd intimidation). A few days later the team play Burnley and having found themselves in a one - nil to the good situation, chuck it away and find themselves drawing (which means a loss of two valuable points if you're not into football).
  
What's the point of winning against the top teams if we're going to throw points away against teams who are struggling to remain in the Premiership I asked myself. As I mused on this I realised that Arsene was merely getting his team to assist me, and others, with our daily walk. I meet so many people who like me struggle with big sins and work hard to overcome them and then lose out to the minnows in sins lower divisions. I can beat the major opposition and come away victorious in tussles over sexual immorality, stealing, murdering, coveting stuff (I'm not attracted by my neighbour's ox or ass) and don't do drink, drugs, cigarettes and most of the other vices.
  
But! Always a but isn't there . . . . . .
  
When it comes to the really pathetic sins, those who I should beat hands down without really trying I seem to ease up. Perhaps I think I'm far too good a Christian or perhaps think, "I'm above this. I don't have 'those' sort of problems!" Whatever it is - we end up losing (or at best drawing), a poor outcome indeed for just as many of the footballers cost a fortune we too were purchased at a very great price (even more than Ronaldo).

So we'd best get our Bibles out and head for the training ground - Christmas is fraught with opportunities to meet minnows.