Hope For the Hated- Even Phillies Fans

Hope for the Hated

Pastor Jerry Miller

Philadelphia is supposed to symbolize brotherly love, yet the actions of a woman who claimed a ball did not seem loving. Further, the reactions towards her have shown us how much hate there still is in this world.

A father retrieved the home run ball and gave it to his son. The woman claimed it belonged to her, so the father took the ball from his son and gave it to the woman. Other spectators of the game saw what happened and booed the woman showing that they believed the ball was not hers to claim. Her response was to gesture with her raised middle finger, further showing a lack of grace.

Thus, the woman became one of the most vilified people in recent history.

Each and every one of us has done things we should not have done. Most of us have felt regret afterwords. Sadly, there are psychopaths who feel no regret, but they are not the norm. People have working consciences, and most have not yet been seared.

With that truth in mind, I begin to ponder what I would do if I ended up doing something wrong that was so public and so well known. Although I am not going to defend the woman's behavior, I cannot help but ache for how much her life has been turned upside down. No doubt she caused it herself, but that does not change that her life will never be the same again.

She is not the first person to have something like this happen to her. In II Samuel 11, we read that King David decided to have sex with his neighbor's wife while the neighbor was off at war. We are told in vs 4 that the king sent out his deputies to take her and bring her to him. It doesn't look like she had much choice in the matter. Then when she got pregnant, he had her husband killed.

We know about this even though the events happened about 3000 years ago. I doubt the woman who took the ball will be remembered even 30 years from now. But like the woman who was booed and had memes made about her, David was also confronted for his behavior.

David however was not the first king of Israel to be confronted for doing something wrong. King Saul was confronted by the prophet Samuel for how he dealt with the Amalekites and the spoils of war. Rather than taking responsibility for his actions, Solomon blamed others. In contrast, David admitted his sin and was ready and willing to take the consequences for his behavior.

Both kings sinned. Saul lost the right to be king after he blamed others for his sinful behavior. Not only did David get to remain king, but he as commended by God, David took responsibility, admitted his sin, and was willing to take whatever consequences God gave him.

I would hope that if any of us were like the woman at the Phillies game, that we would simply admit that we did wrong and then take responsibility for it. We should then say that we deserve whatever consequences come our way. If that woman were to come out publicly and do that, then I hope that people would show grace and forgive her.

The reality is, we all need forgiveness because we have all done wrong. That is why Jesus came to die for our sins. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8). “And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God.” (I Corinthians 6:11)

As the woman held up her middle finger when confronted for her behavior, she acted more like Saul than like David. I pray that her heart softens and that she finds grace. With Jesus we can all find grace. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:9)