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Remember this line? “Do as I say, not as I do.” What a recipe for disaster! The athletic world is full of double standards. Some athletes get treated better than others. Freshmen don’t usually get the same privileges as seniors. Even coaches sometimes have double standards for their athletes. Many times a coach will say that players late for practice will be punished. How often is this enforced if the late player is one of the best on the team?
We’ve heard the saying, “If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, acts and thinks like a duck, it must be a duck.” What are we? What do we walk and talk like? What do we act and think like? Let’s face it, the reason we play sports is to win—to be champions. In order to be champions, we have to walk, talk, act, and think like champions.
As Christians, we are already champions because of Jesus’ dying on the cross for our sin. By accepting Christ, God receives us as His adopted children. Since He is the King of kings, we become co-heirs—receiving all the benefits of being His child. To learn about those benefits, we must study God’s Word. The Bible is full of promises we inherit as children of God.
When David wrote this instructive psalm, he was in trouble. He was likely cowering in a hole dug deeply into a hill, hiding from enemies pursuing him. He was lonely, desperate, and in need of help. As he hid from his adversaries, he felt out of control and uncertain of the future. So David implored the Lord for guidance, acknowledging in this time of distress that his trust and confidence had to come from God.
Characteristics of the world’s best athletes are: self-control, discipline, teamwork, an ability to focus and perform under pressure, intensity, teachability, and knowing how to win with grace. So why is it that when someone has a temper tantrum, gives a cheap shot, cheats, disregards a victorious opponent, and screams at a referee—it is rationalized as being competitive?
I recently met a man in his late 30s who was bragging about being kicked off the church sports teams. He assumed we would be impressed at his machismo. He faintly conceded that he was too competitive. I disagreed with him and suggested he was not competitive enough. Rather, he was indulging in selfish ambition, disrespect, envy, and lack of self-control. He needed to grow up.
Back when I was in college, I would always get excited about Thanksgiving break and getting to go home and be with family. I would be excited for turkey, football, and, of course, sleeping. What I found, however, was that I tended to rely on those activities to refuel me over the break. I would find myself thinking that if I could just get through the week before, then I would have rest and fun with my family.
A Christian competitor is a thankful competitor. Every time you step onto the field of competition, your heart is exploding with thankfulness, because you are abundantly grateful for God’s blessings. You have a deep conviction that your gifts, talents and skills to play and to compete come from Him alone. You never take it for granted. Every stride, swing, shot, pass, goal and point is a response to God’s goodness. The way you compete is marked with, Thank you God, because you count all of God’s blessings in your life. You always show gratitude.
It was a week before the big game. Coach knew how to prepare his team. Every day he broke down the opponent’s offense and defense so his team knew them almost better than they knew themselves. For that week, he added one task to the end of every practice, firmly believing it would make a difference.
A game plan is vital for every contest. Throughout Scripture, God’s game plan was instituted among His coaches. Jesus provided the greatest example of preparing for battle. He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil. Satan thought he had the perfect plan, but Jesus was so prepared that every time Satan tempted Him, He came back with an impenetrable defense: God’s Word.
Our world today tends to say that we should only give thanks in the midst of good circumstances, so it's easy for us as athletes to give thanks to God after a victory. Now, there's nothing wrong with thanking Him for good Ws, but God challenges us through His Word to adopt a much higher way of living by giving thanks in everything.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (above), the word "thanks" comes from a Greek word that literally means to be "thankful for God's good grace." This kind of thanks never needs to be circumstantial.
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