how far is too far?
The message to the crowd was clear: “kiss my a@”*. The crowd’s response was just as clear—a chorus of boos.
This exchange unfolded during this year’s Australian Open tennis tournament after American 10th seed Danielle Collins defeated Australian qualifier Destanee Aiava.
The crowd, firmly behind the Aussie underdog, cheered wildly when Aiava won points, celebrated Collins’ errors, and fell silent when Collins succeeded. The atmosphere clearly rattled Collins. At one point during the match, she shouted for the crowd to “shut up” and looked visibly uncomfortable with the hostility.
Of course, such interactions aren’t unfamiliar in sports. Fans often voice their displeasure with underperforming teams or coaches through boos, chants, or even walking out. I’ve been part of such moments myself.
But reflecting on this particular exchange got me thinking: As a peacemaker what should my response be in such situations?
I don’t think there is a universal, one-size-fits-all answer. Context and culture matter and will influence our responses. But given that PeaceWise is about helping people live as peacemakers for life, it seems worthwhile considering how, as supporters of sports teams, artists, or even particular leaders, we might respond as peacemakers when faced with opposition—or when our favourites fall short of our expectations.
As PeaceWise believes the Bible is God’s word, is authoritative in what it teaches and gives us instructions for our relationships and our behaviour, it seems like the place to turn.
The first observation I make from scripture is that we are called to ensure that we glorify and honour God with our responses.
For example, Psalm 19:14 says:
May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing to you,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
And Colossians 3:17 says:
And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus.
This challenges me to ask, are my responses as a supporter pleasing and honouring to God? PeaceWise often reminds us to start by seeking God and this principle applies here, too.
For me, this means going beyond whether my reactions are socially acceptable or “just part of the game.” I need to ask a deeper question: Do my responses reflect God’s character?
The second observation I make is scripture is very clear; our words matter because they have impact!
Consider James 3:5-6,
The tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.
They are very strong words particularly given the footage we have recently seen of the LA fires. Their point is crystal clear, our words matter. They can build up and do great good (make grand speeches), but even small words and short comments can also cause great destruction. It’s an observation that the book of Proverbs reinforces:
Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing.Proverbs 12:18
A gentle answer deflects anger,
but harsh words make tempers flare.Proverbs 15:1
Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.Proverbs 15:4
Kind words are like honey—sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.Proverbs 16:24
These verses give rise to a third observation, God desires to see us build others up. Conversely, tearing people down is clearly presented as unwise living.
For me, this principle shouldn’t be applied selectively or conveniently abandoned when supporting my favourite team, responding to a bad umpiring decision, or defending a favourite author against criticism. As a peacemaker, I’m called to use my words to bring life and encouragement.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that I can’t question a call or cheer on my favourite team, but it does mean I need to think about how I do this and recognise there will be boundaries in how I show my support. For me, being completely one-eyed in my support, booing the opposition and failing to acknowledge an opposition’s great performance goes one step too far if I am to live as a peacemaker in the world today.
Of course, recognising this and living it out can be two different things and so my fourth observation is I need help to live as a peacemaker in this space.
So my prayer is simple and echoes the words of Psalm 141:3,
Take control of what I say, O Lord, and guard my lips.
But what about you?
If you’d like to explore how to live as a peacemaker, why not make it your goal in 2025 to deepen your journey? Check out our PeaceWiseYou page for training options and discover how to better equip yourself – and others – to live as peacemakers in today’s world.
This devotional was written by Wayne Forward.
Wayne is the CEO of PeaceWise. He loves Jesus’ promise, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” He is committed to helping as many people as possible from all walks of life know and experience this promise for themselves.
