A. J. McCarron Alabama Crimson Tide football team

People are Watching  

          A. J. McCarron is the quarterback for the Alabama Crimson Tide football team. At the recent SEC media days, Alex Scarborough wrote about McCarron on Espn.com. McCarron has done something with Alabama that no quarterback has done in decades – win back-to-back national championships. He is, undoubtedly, a high-profile athlete.
 
          But how did he react during the SEC media days? How did McCarron spend his summer? He and his team are odds on to win another (third-in-a-row) national championship or at least the SEC championship. How does that impact McCarron's off-the-field behavior?
 
          I found Scarborough's article on McCarron fascinating. A. J. admits that he cannot live the "normal" lifestyle of a 22-year-old. "I have to watch what I do at all times." He explained to Scarborough that his name and his reputation were too important for him to risk going to a bar. He can control his actions online and in public and so he works on that.
 
          "I can't go out and act a fool in public, can't go out and drink excessively and end up being wild," he said. "I'm not saying that I want to in any type of way. I want to be the type of kid and guy that younger kids can look up to -- even if it's only a couple."
 
          Then Scarborough adds: "Even though he'd love for it to be all about football, he understands it's just not the world he lives in."
 
            The world you and I live in judges Christianity, not just by Who Jesus is or what He teaches, but also by how you and I live. How many times have we heard people say, "I'm just as good a person as so-and-so who goes to church every Sunday." That may or may not be true and it may or may not be a fair judgment but the reality is many people see things that way.
 
            When they do, our life may be getting in the way of Jesus' testimony. Our life has become a stumbling block to the salvation of others. The world judges Christians by appearances and so we have to be careful what others see in us.
 
            That gives new meaning to the commandment: "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain" (Exodus 20:7).
 
            You and I wear the name of Christ every day – Christian. Our lives need to reflect His nature – His love, His holiness, His grace, His righteousness. Otherwise, we may be taking/wearing His name in vain.
 
            In the world we live in, people are watching you.

 

Paul Holland