Lately, it seems like there has been a proliferation of sports scandals at the amateur and professional levels. In most, if not all of the situations, there was a key moment of decision when the allegations surfaced. The choice was between character and reputation.

A wide receiver or running back must make crisp cuts when running a route or hitting the hole. A soccer player needs to make crisp cuts when passing or dribbling. Basketball players must make quick, sure, crisp cuts when running plays or making moves to the hoop.

The word “crisp” has been defined as “notably sharp and clean-cut.” Should these athletes round their cuts, they would lose the ability to apply a successful move on their opponent.

What are athletes without goals? Goals are obstacles that help us reach higher levels of ability. In Philippians 3:14, Paul says we should keep running for the goal God has for us. In doing this, we all have to lean on the Lord to know where we are going.

The story of Joseph from the Old Testament is fairly familiar to most of us. We may recall that he was the 11th son of Jacob, who was sold by his brothers into slavery and wound up as a steward over the household of an official named Potiphar. Joseph eventually winds up attracting attention from Potiphar’s wife, and when he refuses her, she has him imprisoned.

How many times do we see football players cross the goal line and do some sort of celebration? Either they try to bring attention to themselves through some crazy stunt, or they point to the sky in order to bring attention to someone else. In those situations, we Christians get all excited and say, “Look! They are giving God the glory.” Maybe they are, and maybe they’re not. The only person who knows for sure is the one with his finger in the air.

These days it seems like even humble acts are brought under the microscope. Even players who seem humble, or intend to be, wind up diving into pride. It’s hard to be humble when everybody around you is feeding your ego.