Offside and Alongside

What would you do?

You watch, listen, and hear harsh words, cruel and crushing expletives directed at someone, and you are aghast. What do you do dear reader? I know what I would do, what I have done publicly. I stepped into the fray as defender of the weak, the attacked, the maligned one. 

I cannot witness abuse and turn a blind eye. I am not a hero, I am a human, and I would think, dear reader, you would do the same? Alas, not all humans are created equal.

Who we are when we see injustice, is a statement of character, or lack there of, wouldn't you agree? If you detect a hint of judgement in my tone, I shrug here and agree. You got me: my sin is conviction.

Offside

While out for dinner with a kind and gentle man, I got educated on the term offside, defined as: of a player in sports occupying a position on the field where playing the ball or puck is not allowed, especially (in soccer) in the attacking half ahead of the ball and having fewer than two defenders nearer the goal line at the moment the ball is played. 

In a nutshell, offside is an unfair advantage, an attempt at scoring, when there is no one to defend the net. Now, let's look at the attack on an innocent person who has been shoved down, and kicked by someone who is offside. The attack is unexpected and indefensible. because a power imbalance has been established. In other words, when people don't play by the rules, winning is easier for the one who plays dirty. While I have a quick cat like response to injustice, my cool wise friend has another approach...

Alongside

He is coach, edifier of the young. He sees insecurity and wonders at this, looking for root cause. Speaking into the minds and hearts of his players, he tells them what they are capable of and they believe, because truth be told, they are capable of much. In the stands, there is one who shouts you failure, you not-good-enough, you loser, what is wrong with you? 

The coach hears this, and his eyes turn to the son, the one on the ice that cannot please, no matter how hard he tries, no matter what he does to gain favour. The coach finds the boy that will one day be a man and says, your father, he is offside. He is wrong: don't listen to his words. You are a good player. The coach, he came alongside the boy. He did not attack the attacker, he went to the heart of the wounded.

Mortal soul combat

The devil, he plays offside. He attacks the indefensible with cruelty and suggestions of you failure, you not-good-enough loser, what is wrong with you? To argue with him is foolhardy. 

God, He comes alongside and says something else... The Father says, you are mine, and I love you like My own son, My own daughter. You belong to Me and I will defend you against the liar and his deception:

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am weak and lowly of heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30) 

A call to justice

My friend, he did what Jesus did and does. When we are attacked offside, He comes alongside and speaks gently, and with a humble heart, giving much needed rest from the burden on our souls. He lightens the load, dear reader, and I ask you

• Is this you? 
• Can you relate? 
• Does justice call you to speak, to act, to fight for the oppressed and wounded, so that they know the love of The Father through us, His earthly family representatives? 

There is a call to justice dear one, and it is here, it is now. If you can look away, pretend it is not your business, your duty to say something and do something, then I ask you, where will you turn when it is you, that has been attacked, offside?

Where, pray tell, will your children turn?