The provision of sports
“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 3:12-14
I’m not very athletic, but I’ve seen God do holy things through sports.
Even Paul uses athletic terms through his New Testament letters. Competition and goals are components of sports that relate to everyday life, as I’ve seen in my own very unathletic life. As Christians, we strain forward, press on toward the ultimate goal that is Jesus.
My daughter became a more confident version of herself on and off the basketball court. During her high school senior year, she was a leader everywhere she went, as her basketball experiences translated to every other aspect of her life.
Our school community has grown and deepened because we started sports teams. First, cross country, then basketball, cheerleading, archery, volleyball, track and field, and golf. The colors & mascot help people feel like they belong.
As a kid, I grew up having conversations about sports with my dad, with whom I had an otherwise complicated relationship. Football, basketball, and horse racing provided easy topics, thus a connection I spent a lot of time trying to establish.
I’ve been on mission trips in Central America, where pickup soccer and basketball games opened a door to share about Jesus.
Most recently, I was reminded about how much I like sports stories, atmospheres that bring people together, and the examples athletes can be for kids. All these things were on my mind while we were at the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, rooting on our Murray State Racers. Sports led to an impromptu family vacation I didn’t even realize I needed.
Sports have brought grieving and divided towns together. People have met their spouses because of games and matches they played. Teams have traveled to places their players may have otherwise never seen and experienced.
These are the holy moments that change people, and sometimes God uses sports to do so.
Yes, professional athletes are overpaid, the discrepancy between major colleges and smaller programs is drastically different, NIL needs boundaries, ticket prices are crazy, and gambling destroys good things. But what if we, as people, choose to focus on the good that can come from a game?