E.J., You Have a Friend in Jesus: A Gospel Response to the Social Media Hate
I was appalled by the comments left by “fans” on E.J. Liddell’s social media last night following Ohio State’s first round upset to Oral Roberts. I won’t relay what was said to him on this site, but you can read the comments, which he posted to Twitter last night, right HERE.
Liddell rightly asked the question “Honestly, what did I do to deserve this? I’m human.”
It’s an unfortunate reality that many of us (myself included, at times) fail to remember as we watch, cheer for, and often idolize the athletes who represent the team we emotionally invest ourselves into.
And while I am angered and hope justice comes—and it should, given the criminal intent of the comments—I am hardly surprised.
Just over a year ago I received a text from a player in a similar situation. He had similar comments in his inbox. Hate. Disdain. Threats. Why? Because like Liddell, he didn’t have a great game and “fans” let him know about it.
Less than two weeks earlier, he hit a game winning shot against a conference foe and the “fans” loved him. His inbox was littered with praise and affirmation.
Worship in one moment that quickly turns into hate only days later. Sound familiar? If you have any familiarity with the Bible and the fact that Easter is right around the corner, this pendulum swing of the human heart should be hardly surprising. As Jesus entered Jerusalem at the end of his earthly ministry, the crowds went crazy. They cheered. They put their hope and trust in him. As he rode on the back of a donkey into the city, they worshipped him. Matthew 21:8-11 says:
“Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”
And a short time later they turned their backs on him. After he was betrayed by one of his own disciples, Jesus was put on trial. Pilate had trouble finding anything wrong with Jesus so he attempted to release him. You can read about the scene in Matthew 27:15-26:
“Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.” Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”
So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.” And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.
When given the opportunity to free this man who they recently worshipped, the crowd turned their back on him. They all said “Let him be crucified!”
It’s why I am not shocked at what the “fans” said to E.J. Liddell—and my friend who was in a similar situation last year. Sin blinds us from perspective.
I hope E.J. Liddell reads this. At the very least, I hope someone communicates this to him:
E.J. you have a friend in Jesus. He has been in your shoes. He experienced the crowds cheering him on and the exact same people turning their backs on him when he became inconvenient for them. And he endured all of that because he loves you. He loves you with a love that’s independent of your performance. Fans’ affection for you will always be based on your performance. Jesus’ affection for you will always be based on his performance—on your behalf.
The beauty of the Gospel (the good news about who Jesus is and what he did on our behalf) is that he also could ask a similar question that E.J. asked. “What did I do to deserve this?” The scandalous truth is that Jesus didn’t deserve it either. We did. And yet, Jesus endured hate, pain, mockery, ridicule, and death, on our behalf. Why? So we could have life with him. He endured the worst so we could receive his best.
After Liddell posted his message on Twitter, Badger’s guard, D'Mitrik Trice responded to him and said “The outside world will never understand the things we get in our DM’s from “fans”. Hold your head high and know who you are in God’s Eyes, that’s what matters!”
I agree. The outside world may never understand.
But Jesus does. And he always will.
What a friend we have in him!
