Athletics have become an important feature of the American social experience. Gyms, stadiums, and ball fields have become crucial connecting points where people gather with friends and family, rally around shared interests and affinities, and loudly explain to those on the playing surface how they are doing it wrong and how it could be done better. We call this practice “Armchair Quarterbacking.”
An Armchair Quarterback is defined as a person who offers advice or instruction on something in which they have no expertise or involvement. I confess, that I have played my share of armchair quarterback in my day. I have spent countless hours watching my beloved Fighting Irish of Notre Dame play football from the comfort of my own living-room, loudly yelling instructions to players, coaches, and referees on my television screen. I do so believing wholeheartedly that I, an out-of-shape, middle-aged man who has never played or coached the sport at any level, hold the keys to their success.
It’s easy to recognize the foolishness of this practice when you take a step back, but many, if not all of us have played our share of armchair quarterback. While I do not know what happens in the comfort of people’s homes, I have observed people playing at all-pro levels at numerous games in local venues throughout our community. Further, social media has provided another excellent opportunity to watch “armchair experts” in action.
It’s easy to share our thoughts from a distance; It’s much more difficult to get into the action and do something ourselves.
Lest those who aren’t interested in sports feel excluded, Armchair quarterbacking isn’t limited to athletic endeavors. Anytime there is action to be observed, there are sure to be countless opinions on how it should be done. It’s easy to share our thoughts from a distance; It’s much more difficult to get into the action and do something ourselves. The old saying is true: “Talk is cheap, action is expensive.”
During this recent cold snap, there has been quite the conversation on social media concerning our community’s efforts, or lack-thereof, to care for those who are struggling in our community. There were many opinions about what the church, public institutions, private businesses, and civil servants could and should be doing to address some of these issues, particularly related to homelessness. I confess, some of the criticism was valid, but some of it was short-sighted and lacked understanding of the nuances of dealing with such a massive issue.
While it is necessary to call for action at the institutional and organizational level, we can’t be satisfied to simply shout our thoughts from the stands. The effectiveness of a church to fulfill its mission is dependent upon the action of its members, and the impact of a community is contingent upon the involvement of its citizens. We can’t be satisfied shouting from the comfort of our seats, we must get in the game!
None of us can do everything necessary to care for others and make our community a better, more compassionate place, but all of us can do something.
James 2:14-17 speaks to this issue. It reads, “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” Faith without action is dead. Opinion without practical outworking is empty. None of us can do everything necessary to care for others and make our community a better, more compassionate place, but all of us can do something. If we truly want to make a difference in our community and the world at large, we must get out of our armchairs and into the action.
