With the World Cup under way, it is nearly impossible not to get swept up in the excitement and fervour.
How many times do we as England fans tell ourselves that just making the knockout stages would be an achievement for this young squad, only to start entertaining that glimmer of hope: ‘but there’s no reason we couldn’t go all the way’? Whatever the outcome for England, the tournament extends a different hope that is much needed in our divided times: it gives a glimpse of a world united.
Profound play
At an international level, there is something profound about seeing countries who can’t seem to agree politically putting aside their differences to play together. Just think of the tensions between Iran and the West, with Trump walking away from the nuclear deal, and then reflect on how remarkable it is that Iran will be playing in a group with EU members Spain and Portugal.
And it is not just the apparent unity between countries, but within them too. Since the 2016 Brussels terrorist attack, support for the far right in Belgium has surged, just as it has in many countries struggling to deal with migrants and displaced peoples. Yet in the Belgium squad there are French speakers, Flemish speakers, sons of immigrants from Congo (Vincent Kompany) and Morocco (Marouane Fellaini and Nacer Chadli). The national football team is a much-needed picture of a diverse but united country.
Power of sport
There have always been those who believe sport can bring about unity where other methods have failed. Nelson Mandela famously said: ‘Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire, it has the power to unite people in a way that little else does … It is more powerful than governments in breaking down racial barriers. It laughs in the face of all types of discrimination.’
But for all the wonderful efforts of NGOs, charities and sports bodies, the world seems as divided as ever. Yet sport does show us a picture of how unity can be brought about through the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Two of the big movements in trying to deal with racial tensions between and within countries are Separatism and Cosmopolitanism. Separatism advocates peace through separating nations, cultures and ethnicities, giving them greater autonomy and control. Cosmopolitanism advocates dissolving ethnic and national distinct-ives and bringing together one community of all people.
United in Christ
The gospel of Jesus Christ shows a different vision: ‘After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb’ (Revelation 7.9). This is humanity diverse and united, ethnically distinct and standing together as one.
And this is one of the things that is so glorious about the World Cup. As the flags wave and the songs are sung, we see people playing together, but enjoying all the colour and vibrancy of their countries. It gives us an earthly picture of a heavenly reality because in the gospel people are brought together as those made in the image of God and saved by the perfect image-bearer. Here is its radical source of unity. But also in the gospel, the inherent goodness of ethnicity and nationality is affirmed without it being the thing that defines a person or nation. Here is its source of diversity.
So, whatever your hopes for the World Cup and whatever the reality may be, let it be a picture to encourage you that there is sure hope for a united and diverse world in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
