How’s My Image?

Over the years that I have been coaching bantam football I have developed a kind of an image or reputation for always wearing shorts when I’m coaching. Whether it’s raining or shining or snowing I always wear shorts. Really it’s just a goofy thing I do because it makes people laugh when I’m standing on the sidelines in a November blizzard wearing shorts, but maybe I can fool some people into thinking I must know what I’m doing because I look more athletic wearing shorts and a ball cap than I do in boots, jeans and a cowboy hat.

I had the privilege of helping with the high school team as they prepared for the first round of provincial play-offs. I jumped at the opportunity even though most of the senior players probably know more than I do, but I just love being around the team. I didn’t technically do any coaching, I was in the spotter’s booth hoping to see any tendencies from the other team that our guys could exploit, but since I was officially part of the coaching staff for that day I had to wear my shorts.

Unfortunately it was minus 12 with a stiff north wind and blowing snow. I don’t think I fooled anybody into thinking I looked like I knew what I was doing that day. In fact most people thought I’d lost my mind completely and just looked silly. I had my touque on over my ball cap with my hoodie pulled over that and then my big winter coat over everything else . . . and shorts. Nope, wasn’t fooling anybody with that image.

Most of us are concerned to a certain degree about our reputation, it’s always been part of our human nature. Even in the early church the people from Sardis were concerned about their reputation and apparently went to some effort to project an image of being very spiritual (Revelation 3). I imagine they had all sorts of programs and activities; they never went to bars, never used coarse language, and were always in church on Sunday morning. But Jesus’ scathing indictment was they had a reputation for being alive but were dead.

As Jesus followers we need to be real. We aren’t fooling God, and likely we’re not fooling most people either; we’re fatally flawed. By God’s grace through Jesus we are made righteous, and only in our weakness does God reveal his strength. So just be genuine.

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About David Berg

I live in a small town in Alberta, Canada. I pastor a small Baptist church and also work half-time on a local seed farm. It has been more than 25 years that I have been married to a most amazing and beautiful lady whose name is Wendy. Together we have three boys, and two beautiful daughter-in-laws.
View all posts by David Berg

This entry was posted on Monday, November 11th, 2013 at 4:08 pm and posted in Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

5 responses to “How’s My Image?”

Yup you are nuts but you are so very genuine and you show that in your daily walk with God. Thank you for showing your ‘real’ side & not giving into the image game for if you really were conerned about the outward appearance you’d have given up brush-popper shirts & cowboy boots a long, long time ago! Love you for the man God has made you(quirkey & all) & awesome hubby to my dearest of friends!

What a great analogy of how we try to fool God by out outward appearance and actions. We may fool those around us for a time but God sees the heart and knows our motives. I always look forward to your posts. They are so well written and inspirational! Thank-you!