Minnesota Vikings

I went to an NFL game last Sunday with my friend, Ty.  The red-hot Detroit Lions came to Minneapolis to play against the stumbling, bumbling Minnesota Vikings.

First.  NFL.  Game.  Ever.

Some background coming into the game:  The Lions dominated the Bucs and Chiefs in the first 2 weeks of the season.  The Vikings at halftime leads in their first 2 games but lost in the second half.  All signs pointed to a Lions blowout win.

Except someone forgot to tell the Lions.  Like their first two games, the Vikings came out and grabbed a 20 point lead at halftime.  The fans were cheering; the esprit de corps high.  The game was in hand and the Vikes were going to get their first win of the season.

Except someone forgot to tell the Lions.  End of the game score: 26-23, Lions in overtime.

The most surprising thing of the game wasn't that the Lions failed to play in the first half.  It wasn't the second half comeback.  It wasn't Calvin Johnson's mega catch to set up the game-winning field goal.  No, the most surprising thing in the game was the fickle-minded fans who went from cheering to booing in minutes.  My ears rung from cheering and my ears rung from the booing.

Cheering to booing in a matter of minutes.  And back to cheering when they stopped the Lions and scored a tying field goal.

It surprised me.  Just plain surprised me.

It's Matthew 21 and 27; Mark 11 and 15.  The Jews cheer Jesus when the situation is going as they want and boo (clamor for his death!) when the situation reverses itself.

Jews and Viking Fans.

And Us.

Cheering, booing.  Celebrating, complaining.  Running towards Jesus and running away from Jesus.

I guess history is doomed to repeat itself?  Human condition?  Still, surprising.