As I write this, I’m celebrating!? Manchester United has just won the European Champions League final – and Manchester United is MY TEAM!!

But as I’ve thought about this, it’s occurred to me that this is all?a little “odd”.? (Those of you who are not sports fans will be thinking to yourselves – we didn’t need?him to tell us that!)? I’ve never lived in Manchester.? I support Manchester United because when as a small child I first began to get interested in football, they had some wonderful players, who became my heroes – and I’ve follwed the club ever since.? It has become “my team”, even though there is no logical reason for this.? So now, a team of players whom I’ve never met, from a city I’ve only spent a few hours in during my life, winning a game of football on the other side of the world, brings me significant?pleasure, and I feel like “we have won”.? As I’ve reflected on this,?it’s occurred to me that it’s very interesting what we human beings get excited and passionate about.

I’m not prepared to concede that sport is unimportant, or that I shouldn’t get excited about “my team” winning!? But it has prompted me to consider how excited and passionate I am about things that really matter – the things of the Kingdom of God.?