I generally do not watch a lot of sport. With the Olympic Games coming up, I may catch the odd competition. I do have to say that I find team sports more interesting to watch and may view some basketball or volleyball games. For me the most interesting spectator game is still football. But I generally don’t follow any club. Recently, I have been watching highlights or parts of the matches of the European Football Championship. I used to be a football referee and know the game quite well. Since I haven’t been involved with football for some time, the changes in the game are always interesting.

What I noticed at the recent European Football Championship is the considerable number of own goals and goals scored as the result of defensive errors. They were nearly as numerous as beautiful goals set up by attacking play. I wondered whether this is a fitting analogy of modern politics as well. It seems that most parties and movements rely on the faults of their opposition rather than on their own ability to persuade or to govern. Much politics is done against others and by pointing out the errors of the opposing team. As a result, the attacks often get personal rather than discussing the subject matter.

We need to be careful that such an attitude does not influence our own attitude with people we disagree with. It is only too easy “to play the man rather than the ball,” to use another football analogy. While personal experience often sits behind our attitudes and actions, focusing on the faults of others rather than their harmful arguments, worldviews and attitudes, makes the world a more acrimonious place and may not get us very far. As Christians, of course, our aim cannot be to see others fail. Our attitude should be informed by God, who declares: “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.” (Ezekiel 33:11). In the past, the Anglican Church frequently reminded itself of that at Evensong and as such reminded people not only of their own need of forgiveness, but also of an attitude of forgiveness towards others.