"Acknowledge Me!"

Solo Sikoa, aiming to be tribal chief

In the world of WWE, there is a tribal family called the Bloodlines.  Originally led by their chief, Roman Reigns, they are part of a powerful dynasty.  However, Roman Reigns has since left.  And his cousin, Solo Sikoa, has been given charge to take care of the Bloodlines.  However, Sikoa doesn’t just want to care for the dynasty; he wants to be acknowledged as THE tribal chief.  Every week, Sikoa, with his hired criminals as his goons, challenges and intimidates other wrestlers, proving his importance as a key figure.  Ultimately, he wants the entire WWE to respect him, and honor him as the new chief.     There is a problem, however.  No wrestler outside of his clan is bowing down to him.  Or, at least willingly.  Even if Solo Sikoa and his men beat the crud out of their adversaries, and can bring their enemies to their knees, it isn’t done without a fight.  It is not given with submission.  Ironically, these other men used to compete as enemies to the Bloodlines when Roman Reigns was present.  But now in his absence, they see how Solo Sikoa poses a greater threat.     Even the Bloodlines’ “wise-man”, Paul Heyman, struggled to commit to Sikoa’s leadership.  Heyman’s role was the adviser, and all this time while Roman Reigns has been absent, Heyman had encouraged Sikoa to be humble and lead the Bloodlines as Reigns did (recently, I just found that Sikoa had beaten and thrown out Roman Reigns from the Bloodlines).  He warned Sikoa of the danger of hiring criminals to do his bidding, and how important of a responsibility he had in leading the Bloodlines.

Kevin Owens stood up to the Bloodlines and 
was beaten. After his loss, other wrestlers have
aimed to stand up to the clan.

    But Solo Sikoa never wanted to heed his advice.  In fact, the more Paul Hayman spoke, the more Sikoa glared and, verbally, set him in his place.  Paul Heyman tried to plead as much as he was allowed to voice; even willing to assist by cheating in a match so that the Bloodlines could remain undefeated.  But bowing down to someone who demands to be acknowledged as a true chief when that isn’t their role is tiresome, discouraging and contradicts the soul.  And when the conviction of the heart contrasts to the outward behavior, something is going to break.     During a Friday Night Smackdown, June 29th, 2024, Solo Sikoa, accompanied with his three goons and his wise man approached the arena, and demanded, “Acknowledge me!”  Each of his men did as he directed; they acknowledged him as their true chief.  Sikoa’s enforcer (the most recent addition, and perhaps the most violent one of all) added an extra flavor, by not only acknowledging him, but also professing his love for his chief (perhaps worship?).  All of the Bloodlines acknowledged their new chief…save for one.    

Paul Heyman punished for not 
acknowledging Sikoa as chief.

Paul Heyman admitted that he cared for Sikoa and wanted the best, but he could not acknowledge him as the chief.  Roman Reigns has always been the hope for the Bloodlines, and Heyman did not forget that.  Unfortunately, his lack of allegiance for Sikoa meant his own doom.  Immediately, the other Bloodlines picked up Heyman and threw him around, multiple times, punishing him for his betrayal.  It hurt to watch.  And every week that the Bloodlines are featured in Smackdown, I am watching as a spectator with anticipation, asking when is the true chief going to come and put Sikoa back in his place?  When is Roman Reigns going to return?     There is another person who desires to be called chief, and loves to say that the True Chief is absent and has since abandoned us. The devil likes to take reign in our lives.  Sometimes more inconspicuous, sitting in the background - but oh!  The way he knows our triggers and laughs when we fall for them.  He knows our temptations and delights when we run after them.  Securing the reality of our sin and identifying our shame can bring him joy.  And as long as his intimidation or bribes can get our eyes off Jesus, then he has achieved his aim.  Because if we don’t live as Jesus is our True Chief, then we will fall prey to living as if he is.  As long as we don’t acknowledge Jesus as our Lord, we in de facto acknowledge the strength, power and influence of the enemy.     Live long enough in the ring, and every person can see the havoc that this pseudo-chief brings.  However, in the wrestlings of life, God already came down.  The True Chief returned to the earth, confronted the devil and beat him in his own game, ironically by lying down His own life, and conquering sin and death.  Jesus rose from the grave, and the Holy Spirit is presently walking with us, empowering us to be more like Him and countering attacks of the devil.  A journey that is not measured by a single fight, but the more we denounce the devil, and refuse to acknowledge his role as “chief”, in the power of the Holy Spirit, we conquer him.     Moreover, we have something to hope for greater than Paul Heyman and the other wrestlers.  Where the big question there is, “When will the true chief come back?  When will Roman Reigns return,” we have a Chief who we know will return one day.  In the WWE ring, each wrestler must stand up to Sikoa and the Bloodlines in their own strength, not knowing if Roman Reigns will return.  Many probably have given up.  But when it comes to Jesus, all will bow before Him, and when the devil will HAVE TO acknowledge Who is on the throne, he will be put in his place, once and for all.  Until then, we hope and we fight, in the grace (favor and empowerment) of God.  Sometimes we will battle and find victory.  Sometimes we will fall.  But as has been said in life, true failure is giving up and never trying again.  Jesus died for our salvation and for us to become children of God.  And a good Father will equip His children for what lies ahead, and He won’t forsake them.  And so, with every match against the one who wants to be called “king”, God has never ceased to be on His throne, and He is with us, in the midst of each battle.

Roman Reigns, considered to be the true chief 
over the Bloodlines Dynasty.  Absent, and 
many waiting for his return.

    The irony about Solo Sikoa is that he is able to intimidate, belittle and win over all the other wrestlers, because he knows how to talk a good talk, walk confidently, and violently enforce his influence.  However, even as I watch Friday Night Smackdown, I know…that if Roman Reigns were to show up…all that fire in Sikoa would cease instantly.  He’d stop demanding to be acknowledged.  He would know he screwed up…and he probably would start running.  Or he would get the beating that’s about to come for him.  Either way, he would be acknowledged publicly for who he is, and not what he hoped to be.  How much more does the devil flee, because God is present in our lives and we have acknowledged Him as the True Chief? 

     

     “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.  And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance (endurance); and perseverance, character; character, hope.  Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was  given to us. 
    For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.  For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet, perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more than having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.  For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.  And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.”
-Romans 5:1-11