Please don’t play their game

I live what counts to me as walking distance of the Aston Villa football ground. It’s actually 50 minutes walk away from the ground. Where I currently live is predominantly but not exclusively white working class. However the next few streets along are increasingly Asian and whilst there is a Sikh Gudwara just round the corner from us, many of the nearby neighbour are Muslim.

About half hour away is Perry Barr Station and the One Stop shopping precinct. That’s where I go to shop and it’s there where I’ve done quite a bit of street Evangelism.  That’s space we share with the communities that live immediately around the Aston Villa ground.

I’m sharing this context because whilst I was grieved by the decision to ban Jewish fans from attending a football match to support their team, Tel Aviv, I’ve also been grieved by the response of some towards my neighbours and those I’m seeking to share Christ with.

For example, Conservstivd politician Robert Jenrick has used this as a pretext to double down on his comments about our city and about communities in the north of Birmingham. I’ve also seen others, including Christians attacking whole communities, even suggesting that they should be deported out of the country.

Now, a local MP and other prominent people seem to have been seeking to stir up trouble and fear. It’s well worth remembering that like many football clubs, sadly Tel Aviv have their hooligan element and so it is not hard to stoke that fear. But let’s be clear, the  aim of stoking up fear is id to divide people. And when that happens, it just makes it a little bit harder for us to live alongside each other and harder to witness.

I don’t want to see Christians attacking whole communities, the very communities that I want you see come to know Christ.  When you attack them, you are hindering not helping the cause of the Gospel.  And you you are playing into thhr hands of those seeking to stir up trouble and division. Please don’t play their game.