Several weeks ago, the Cincinnati Bengals played on Thursday night. I was in Baltimore, changing planes when the game started. Due to an issue with the plane, we ended up being in the terminal for the entire game. Thursday night NFL games are broadcast exclusively on Amazon Prime, which meant the only way to watch the game was on phone or computer. Plenty of passengers awaiting the flight to Cincinnati were watching on their phones, which meant I could watch on their phones as well.

It was interesting to watch people as they watched the game. There was one particular Bengals fan who appeared miserable from the opening kick. He squirmed, he fidgeted, he moaned and groaned under his breath when things went poorly and he fist-pumped when good things happened. I realize that I just described sports fan of every franchise, but hear me out…More than likely, he had been waiting on the game all day. You could not tell from his body language that he was excited to watch his team play under the bright lights.

A meaningful reflection of Jesus happens when we look excited to live as a follower of Jesus.

I understand that part of being a fan is dealing with the pressure and nerves of watching your team perform and hopefully meet expectations. The drama is one of the things we enjoy about fandom, but many fans only enjoy the game if their team wins. 
 
We need to find a way to live in joy regardless of the results. As we enjoy the process of following Jesus, we will express joy in each circumstance. As we serve, we exude joy. As we sing, we smile joyfully. As we suffer loss, we’re able to praise the faithfulness of God while we walk in the valley.
 
Two Truths: 
1. If we wait until the game is over, we miss several hours of reflecting joy. 
2. The level of our love for Jesus is often mirrored in our level of joy as we follow Him. 
 
Hopefully people look at us and see us enjoying the journey. Not fake, plastered smiles, but genuine, real joy glimmering in our eyes, elevating our words and transforming our deeds. 
 
Keep Reflecting Jesus!