Recently, much was made of World Series fans booing President Trump who was also watching the game. The cultural dial is already set on “anger,” so it wasn’t surprising when “#booingTrump” started trending on social media. What is a bit more surprising was who was joining the mob in their salty taunts of the President.
It reminded me of a recent football game I attended. The game was between two private Christian high schools. As the superior team was trampling our team, the officials made what appeared to be a series of bad calls.
Suddenly, from our fan base of parents in the stands came the cries, “You suck!” Not one, but several parents rose to protest the officials by yelling and booing at them. It was like watching a really bad movie in slow motion with your eyes and ears sewn in the open position. (Also like reading Twitter in the mornings.) I was embarrassed for everyone.
So here’s the question: Who boos the refs? Who boos the player or coach? Who boos the President? Maybe the better question is, “Who never boos?”
Leaders never boo.
If you’ve ever led anything at all, you know criticism is part of the gig. So as they say, “Keep a tender heart, but get some tough skin.” We all miss the mark, so criticism can be incredibly helpful. It reveals our gaps and offers constructive steps forward.
Taunts, on the other hand, are not that. Leaders know how hard leading really is. Leaders understand the weight of responsibility that leadership requires. And while leaders will offer criticism in the right way at the right time, people who are actually responsible for getting things done do not boo from the stands.
Instead of booing, they honor. If they can’t respect the person, they respect the office and responsibility held in trust. They recognize the complexities of leadership and they show patience. And ultimately, they give themselves to solving problems rather than pointing fingers.
Parents never boo.
Not only do adults have a responsibility to set a good example for our children, but every person we are tempted to taunt is someone’s father or mother, someone’s child, someone’s husband or wife.
Taunting strips a person of their dignity in front of the people they love the most.
Booing is more than an objection to someone’s performance. If you want to correct systemic underperformance, then write a letter, schedule a meeting, or get involved to reshape policy. If you want to defame a fellow image bearer as unworthy, boo them.
World changers never boo.
Jesus had many reasons to ridicule us, but he chose a different way. It wasn’t a missed call or bad public policy that wounded him the most. Yet even in the face of our sin and unbearable personal betrayal, Jesus chose to put others ahead of himself because heart change happens through love.
But I say to you who listen: Love your enemies, do what is good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Luke 6:27-28
If we really want to change the world, rather than simply taking out our frustrations on others, we too will choose love. We too will prefer others over ourselves and we will do good even to the one we oppose the most. And we too will withhold what people deserve and instead offer grace even at great personal sacrifice because genuine love is the currency of lasting change.
Wise people never boo.
The Bible often distinguishes the foolish and the wise by how they use words.
A fool’s displeasure is known at once, but whoever ignores an insult is sensible. Proverbs 12:16
There is one who speaks rashly, like a piercing sword; but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Proverbs 12:18
Whether in the stands, in the business meeting, or on social media, fools often speak quickly out of carnal or selfish desires with little thought of anything beyond what they see, know, or feel in that moment.
When the coach calls a play, for example, he’s making a decision based not only on game time circumstances, but also on how the team prepared the previous week, whether the right personnel is injured or healthy, or on intuition based on his relationship with the players. The fans may have every right to be disappointed in the results of the play and even ask questions about the play call, but we rarely have enough information in that moment to make an informed evaluation.
Beyond this simple ignorance, the fool speaks rashly with no consideration regarding the inherent dignity of the person who is the object of their derision. He simply wants everyone to know how he feels, and he is willing to spout off with no regard to the feelings of others.
The wise person, on the other hand, holds his tongue, respects others, waits for more information, and then when it’s helpful and when God gives him the opportunity, he speaks in a way that heals and helps.