For years, I heard from family members how clean sports were and that they taught good sportsmanship and how to work with others.
Sadly, this is the rhetoric that was spoken to make sports appear acceptable to Christians. In my opinion, these were just excuses to justify teaching children to be competitive with others and excel in something to make their parents proud.
Boasting about the activities of the children has been extolled as a virtue in our day.
It is clear that God wants us to do the best we can with the gifts He has given us, however, doing our best to create a good product or to walk circumspectly is far different from competing to be better than someone else.
Perhaps the Bible teaches us to do the best we can at whatever task we have as we also help others excel with our support of them, to do the best they can. It is not about winning over others, it is about helping everyone be their best as they follow the Lord.
In fact, scripture tells us to help others reach their potential, nothing about competing to be better.
Philippians 2:2-3 "…2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being united in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves."
James 3:14-16 "But if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth. Such wisdom does not come from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice."
James 4:16 "As it is, you boast in your proud intentions. All such boasting is evil."
Galatians 5:26 "Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying one another."
Luke 14:11 "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-5 "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. / It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs."
1 Peter 5:5-6 "Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you."
Colossians 3:12 "Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience."
1 Corinthians 10:24 "No one should seek his own good, but the good of others."
If a team in sports was taught to do the best they can and help their opponent do the best they can, then I might be able to agree it was a good thing, but that wouldn't make any sense in the very nature of competitive sports.
Perhaps it would be better to forget the ball games and teach everyone to serve the less fortunate, take care of the elderly and promote working together for eternal things.
1 Corinthians 3:11-14 "For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward."
John 6:27 "27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.”
There will be those who say we are too heavenly minded to be of any earthly good, but I say, those who are heavenly minded will be more earthly good because they will be living out their Christianity that not only cares for others but will bring the gospel to the unsaved, which is an eternal reward for those who become born again and also for those who serve Christ.
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