Jurgen and Jesus

I have nothing startling to share today so I thought I'd show you this news story in case you didnt see it.  When I first read this the other day everything inside me rejoiced.  Absolutely everything about this is wonderful.   I'll let you read the story first and then give you my thoughts.

A few weeks ago, as part of a school assignment a ten year old Irish boy wrote a letter to Jurgen Klopp- manager of Liverpool Utd football team.



Daragh wrote:
"Dear Jurgen Klopp, my name is Daragh, I am 10 years old. I go to Glenswilly N.S in Donegal. I support Man United and the reason I write is to complain.
"Liverpool are winning too many games. If you win nine more games then you have the best unbeaten run in English football. Being a United fan that is very sad.
"So the next time Liverpool play please make them lose. You should just let the other team score. I hope I have convinced you to not win the league or win another match ever again.
"Yours Sincerely, Daragh,"
This is the reply he received.
"Dear Daragh, firstly I would like to thank you for writing to me. I know you did not send me good luck or anything like that but it is always good to hear forma. young football fan no matter what so I appreciate you getting in touch.
"Unfortunately, on this occasion I cannot grant your request, not through choice anyway.
Credit: Twitter
"As much as you want Liverpool to lose it is my job to do everything that I can to help Liverpool to win as there are millions of people around the world who want that to happen, so I really do not want to let them down.
"Luckily for you, we have lost games in the past and we will lose games in the future because that is football.
"The problem is when you are 10-years-old you think that things will always be as they are now but if there is one thing I can tell you as 52 years old it is that this most definitely isn't the case.
"Having read your letter, though, I think I can safely say that one thing that will not change is your passion for football and for your club. Manchester United are lucky to have you.
"I hope that if we are lucky enough to win more games and maybe even lift some more trophies you will not be too disappointed because although our clubs are great rivals we also share a great respect for one another.
"This, to me, is what football is all about. Take care and good luck, Jurgen."

I hope you are smiling as much as I am as you read this.   Firstly Im delighted that schools are still making children learn how to write letters and delighted that Daragh could put together such a polite, coherent and honest letter.  Secondly I love the fact that he even thought about asking Liverpool to lose.  Kids have such brilliant and straightforward ways of thinking.  And if you do not ask you do not get, right?  😀
Thirdly I just LOVE the fact that Jurgen replied and took the wee boy so seriously.  His reply is honest, gracious and entirely unpatronising.  He shows respect to a fellow football fan and explains the essence of sportsmanship in a few concise words.
Fourthly he speaks highly of one of his main rivals and praises Daragh for being a great supporter.  Man United are lucky to have you.  Isnt that just wonderful?  My soul genuinely felt ( and still feels now as I read this again) a deep joy about this story, and I believe Jesus is genuinely pleased that someone who is as big a hero to so many as Klopp could so brilliantly communicate His heart.  I have no idea if Jurgen has a faith or not, but it doesnt matter.  He expressed some of God's heart whether he knew he was doing it or not.  And thousands of people saw it.

Image result for build each other up bible verseSpiritual application ?   Sometimes I think the church looks a bit like a football league. We all support our own teams and we find it hard to understand let alone rejoice when we see others succeeding in areas that we are not.  When was the last time you told someone from another congregation that their church was lucky to have them?  How good are you at valuing the game over the team and loving all the different expressions of church?   When we talk each other up, praise each other's efforts, value each other's committment and recognise that we are all striving to lift the same trophy at the end of the same race then God is pleased and people feel joy.  Lets all be a little bit more like Jurgen this week.
Oh, and like Jesus too 😁



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