I was playing softball this week and after our game was asked to pray. I prayed the following:
Lord, help us to understand the place softball should have in our hearts…Softball is a place, just like every other in our life, to glorify you so help us to understand the privilege we he have in honoring you with how we play…Also help us to understand any ways in which we are making an idol out of softball in our lives. Help us to know if we are looking to softball as a place for our significance and self-worth.
With this prayer, I wanted to address the two myths about sports that most people are engrained with:
Myth #1: Winning and performing in sports means everything (see the famous Vince Lombardi quote).
Implications: Sports is a place to earn my significance and self-worth and when this is threatened by a poor performance or losing, people lash out like a wounded animal. Arguing with an official, making excuses, putting other people down, taking your anger out on your family, and criticizing leaders can all be natural outlets for people when their self worth/significance is threatened.
Myth #2: Sports are just a fun activity and are not important in our lives.
Implications: People have a segregated world view where Christ reins only in certain areas of their lives (the important ones). People are left then with a sacred/secular dichotomy and struggle to see how to glorify God in all that they do. Sports then becomes a part of life without any significance or meaning.
