Glory stealing

A while back, following Chelsea’s villainous Champions League triumph over Bayern Munich, John Terry sparked a frenzy after waltzing onto the pitch to hoist the UEFA Champions League trophy even though he had played no part in the Blues’ spirited clash against the Bavarians. JT had been suspended for the final following his dim-witted foul on David Villa, and so Lampard had been handed the proud, yet daunting task of captaining the glitzy English side in the final.

What ensued was a wild a hundred and twenty minutes of footballing intelligence, mostly from Bayern, as they twice took the lead, only for the best striker in the galaxy, Didier Drogba, to single-handedly yank the London side back into the match. The match eventually went into extra time. Munich were handed a chance to pull away at some point in its early stages, but Robben fluffed the penalty presenting Chelsea the lifeline they just needed. The ultimate whistle resonated across the edgy Allianz Arena. Twenty-two sweaty and weary warriors stood; it would take penalties to find the new champions. It was familiar territory for Chelsea, having being pipped to the cup by the greatest club in the world, Manchester United, the last time they met in Siberia. The soil was Bayern’s though. It was home turf they were playing on and I was fervently rooting for them.

The ensemble thronged around their managers as they singled out the kick takers. Bayern’s manager seemed irresolute. Chelsea's? Nope! John Terry, beating Di Matteo in his trade, had everything figured out in no time, quickly picking the five who would take the punts. Lahm lurched forward to take the much dreaded opening penalty as an eerie silence engulfed the stadium. With aplomb, he tucked the ball trimly into the back of the net. Fast forward to Schweinsteiger’s spot kick. After an amusing turn of events, the scores were even. Bastian Schweinsteiger was to win the shoot out for Munich, if only he could gone find the net. He rather opted for the upright. 

Up stepped Drogba. He had dreamt of this moment all his life. Now it was here. He eyed Neur, tilted forward and aimed for his right. Then with a last minute change of heart, he went for his left. Chelsea won it. Chelsea were champions of Europe! The scenes that followed were packed with everything; screams, squeals, prayers, grown men crying. It was all there! Then the moment came. Cameras fixed firmly on Franky. He was going to pick up the trophy.

Then a wandering camera caught something bizarre. John Terry, who five minutes earlier was looking sharp and suave in a black, delicate Armani suit, was suddenly in his playing kit tying his shin pads. JT, having played no part in the final, jostled against the fatigued but blissful Chelsea players as he beat Frank Lampard to the trophy. Internet trolls hit the web instantly to lampoon the Chelsea skipper. Images of past historical events were altered as hilarious pictures of JT became embedded in them.  Thus, “glory stealing" was born. Well, kind of. 

I say kind of because we‘ve constantly been pinching glory from the one who really merits the glory; the one who is glory himself. I’ve been questioning myself numerous times why it is I write. Why did I create this blog? Was it so that people could ooh and aah at how I write? Was it to let people in on how clued-up I am? Was it so I could always have something to crow about when out with the boys? Is it a ‘weapon’ in my not-so-deadly arsenal (hahaha. "not-so-deadly arsenal" :) to woo in the ladies with? Why do I write? We are very keen on having the spotlight on ourselves as humans.

Two of my best friends in school are ‘celebrities’. They always have a crowd with them wherever they are, so being spotted with them somewhat helps one gain a little street cred, especially with the females. I’m fortunate enough as I don’t strain much to get the chance to walk around with them, but I’ve seen guys pretend to be chill and all just to hang out with Denno and Derro. Everyone wants to be noticed and given much interest. It’s the human temperament. What P4CM refers to as the Kanye West way of doing life; always seeking to be seen and heard.

Conversely, going through God’s word I happened to stumble upon a little something that I thought ought to be one of our guides as we take on life. 

***1 Corinthians 10:31***

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.

  

In as much as our flesh desires to be acknowledged, the reality on the ground is that God loves to be noticed way more than we do. The bible instructs us to always seek to redirect all the attention to the one who is more than worthy of all the splendor and tribute. I ever so often read through other blog posts, mulling over what other writers have come up with and wish it was I who had written the pieces and gotten the acclaim instead. During my late teen years I battled an addiction, and the first time I went to my youth pastor and told him that I sought after quitting, he strangely asked me why I wanted to quit. 

“Do you want to quit because you can or so that God can be glorified as a result?”  

It was a tough question, but he helped me see that a good number of times we do things with wrong motives. John the Baptist’s disciples in the book of John 3:23 started to squabble amongst themselves about whose baptism, between John’s and Christ’s, was superior. They took the argument to John and while answering he likened Christ to a bridegroom and himself to the bridegroom’s friend. He explained that he was filled with delight at the bridegrooms success and that “He must become greater and I lesser.”  

It isn’t about us. It’s never about us. It’s always about God whose glory, the book of Isaiah 60:1 says, streams from us. God hates splitting his glory. Whatever remarkable endowments we may have, they all are from God and so we should be hasty to acknowledge that it is him who should be admired and not us.  That glory we want to keep to ourselves that is God’s is in reality the radiance of his holiness; the sparkle of his manifold. He reveals it to us in order to receive it back.  

I’d urge us to learn to mirror God’s glory back to Him, because decisions made that glorify God seldom result in acts that dishonor him.

 ***Colossians 3:3-4***

For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Your real life is Christ and when he appears, then you too will appear with him and share His glory.