We can all think of things at which we have been successful. It could be making goals in soccer, being the fastest runner, or being able to hit a home run in baseball. Whatever it is, we have probably been complimented on it before. A glory giver knows how to respond when they receive praise. Humility is recognizing that God and others are actually responsible for the achievements in our lives and giving the glory to them. Give credit where credit is due! God gave us the talents we have. A great coach and supportive teammates allow for our success on the field to happen. Pride believes we have achieved what really God and others have achieved for us.

I am a sprinter, both literally and spiritually. When I played sports, I did not have a great amount of ability, but I could run… fast. I ran fast on the football field, on the basketball court, anywhere I played. I really don’t recall ever competing against someone who could outrun me. You see, a guy can run pretty fast when he’s scared!

There are spiritual races, too. Shireen, my wife, has reminded me several times that life is a marathon, not a sprint. She knows about the temptation I have to sprint. Sprinters become tired very quickly. It’s unreasonable to think they can run for long periods of time. In contrast, a distance runner must pace himself so he can finish the race.

I heard a baseball coach give instructions to his player on base, telling him the same thing at least three times. Finally, the coach said in a sarcastic tone, “Do you understand what I mean?” His player acted as if he never heard his coach. An important skill in being a great competitor and successful in life is the ability to be teachable. We can’t be teachable if we think we know it all.

One of the great teachers I had in high school was my football coach. I remember one particular night during a junior varsity football game that our coach taught us a lesson we would never forget.

When does sport demand courage? Is it when we face superior competition? Is courage a factor in overcoming fatigue? What role does courage play in overcoming adversity? Today’s Scripture links strength and courage in a powerful combination.

Joshua had just taken leadership of his people after Moses had died. As he assumed this most intimidating role, God told him twice to be strong and courageous, adding the second time to be very courageous. Courage would obviously be a most important quality for Joshua’s leadership.

What situations in today’s competitions may require us to be strong and very courageous? Some situations could be as scary to us now, as replacing Moses would have been to Joshua.

Expectations are everywhere. In sports, every person has expectations, most of which go unmet. There are so many expectations and so much disappointment when they are not met.

Dr. Joe Stowell spoke recently about expectations. He shared three areas in which we deal with unmet expectations: people around us, our place in life, and the future. We tend to create expectations each day that set us up for potential problems.