A good friend of mine's son (let's call him Andy) is an excellent soccer player.  He's gifted, he's talented and he works really, really hard at it.  He began playing on local leagues as soon as he could run and boy howdy can this young man run!  Andy's on the high school team now - a key player leading their team to play stronger and more consistently than in several years.  You get the picture.  This guy is good.

At a recent game, the opponent (on Team B, for bad guys) directly facing Andy had a brilliant strategy to discourage him. Though Team B was losing and losing badly (9- 1), the player was hurling taunts endlessly at Andy.  "You're not playing very well."  "You're an embarrassment to your team."  "Your coach is mad at you." "Your coach is going to take you out."  On and on it went.  Andy's response?  He would say, "Scoreboard."  That was his only reply to his opponent.  Scoreboard.  Look at the scoreboard.  We are winning.  Your words don't change that reality and they won't change that reality.  I've got nothing to say to you.

Andy had to stay strong in the game.  He later confessed that staying in the truth was a battle. Rejecting the opponent's accusation and focusing on what was before him required both determination and stamina.

Sound familiar?

Our opponent is tireless at hurling accusations at us; at taunting us.  "You're not doing this very well." "You're an embarrassment to the Body of Christ." "God is mad at you."  "You're disqualified."  On and on it can go.  Our response is not to take in the accusation or even engage in the dialogue but just to say, "Look at the Cross".  Jesus has won it all.  For me.  I am in Him.  I am loved.  I am secure.  I am forgiven.  Always.  (THANK YOU,GOD!)

Or else, maybe the next time the enemy's accusation comes our way, we can just say, "Scoreboard!".