We Love Putting Our Hope In Things That Disappoint Us

by Eric Elkin

“And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

— Romans 5:5

The first College Football Playoff rankings came out this past Tuesday. Much to the surprise of many football analysts, Ohio State University was ranked number one. The timing of this decision could not have been more perfect. My son, Peter, and I were just discussing where Ohio State should be ranked. We both love the Buckeyes but disagree on the ranking system.

Even though he is younger, Peter is a traditionalist. He enjoys arguing about who should be ranked where and the reasons behind his opinion. Most people embrace Peter’s approach to college football. I think most college football fans find more enjoyment in debating who is better than watching their team win on the field. I don’t care about rankings. My approach is if you win, you are in the playoffs. I would rather see my team earn their way in instead of winning a popularity contest.

The media and cultural attention given to college football causes a certain ethical challenge in my life. I enjoy sports, both playing and watching them. To me, sports are entertainment, and I enjoy the thrill of the battle and all the emotional swings that come from a contest. But when I see how much time, money, and energy is spent arguing mundane things like playoff rankings, I start to question how much time and attention I give to the sport.

“Our time has a great need for hope! The young can no longer be robbed of hope. … The young need hope. It is necessary to offer concrete signs of hope to those who experience pain and suffering. ”

— Pope Francis

One of my favorite scripture verses is Matthew 6:21, “For where your treasure is, there will be your heart also.” I think about this every football season when I see how much money people throw at professional and college sports. The economic impact of college and professional football is mind-blowing. A home football game at the University of Iowa can have a $16 million impact on the Iowa City community. A national football championship radically increases donor giving to the winning university.

Based on economics alone, we as a culture place much of our hope on our football teams. And these football teams constantly disappoint us. As an Ohio State football fan, I am fortunate. My team has won four national championships in my lifetime. Yet, that also means I have been disappointed 56 times. I don’t want to talk about my University of Minnesota loving father-in-law’s decades of disappointment.

Based on worship attendance statistics, we can conclude that we live in a culture that continues to decide not to put hope in God. Instead, they have placed hope in football teams, superstar entertainers, and social media influencers. All of whom will ultimately disappoint us. Why? They cannot give us life or new life. At most, they can provide us with a brief moment of escape from the deep worries and troubles of life. So, should we be surprised that we are being overwhelmed by anger?

A culture that spends so much time arguing rankings of football teams will also spend equal time ranking human beings. You can see this all over social media and in the news. Today’s reading interrupts our critical, hopeless approach to daily life. It says we have peace with God in Christ Jesus, who does not give us a championship. Instead, God gives us life, new life, and eternal life. This life is the hope that does not disappoint. I would rather give my attention to this than the College Football Playoff rankings.

Click to read: Romans 5: 1-11

Reflection Questions:

How much hope do you place in a football team?
If not football, is there something else that you place hope in that disappoints?
How do we keep our hope in God but still find freedom to enjoy entertainment?
Where do you need new life?

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