Great Rivalries: Frazier vs Ali, Mickelson vs Woods, Maryland vs Duke, Ohio St vs “That school up North,” Alabama vs Auburn, Orioles vs Yankees, Ravens vs Steelers.

Great Rivalries are made when the battles are fierce and there is a good versus evil aspect involved. Unfortunately, ABOUT    -VS- WITH is a great rivalry. It is a fierce battle that we face daily, and it involves evil pitted against good.

The problem is we aren’t loyal to one side. We don’t just root for, but we play on both teams, depending on the situation, our mood, and the day. This rivalry is way more important than the sports ones I listed above. This is spiritual warfare in which we all engage.

I’m referring to the internal battle we wage: TALK ABOUT OR TALK WITH. You know what I mean: An issue is unfolding, whether personal/relational or social. We have an option we can stand at the side and talk ABOUT them, or we can take the initiative and talk WITH them.

The easy, lazy, and even evil road is to talk ABOUT the people we disagree with or have hurt us, but Jesus challenges us to talk WITH.

So where do you stand in this rivalry? I have way too many times been an ABOUT team member and not enough of a WITH player. We all must choose to be WITH.