I got this email recently from a friend. It reminded me again of the power of sports to connect people, all kinds of people. 
My neighbor is very much unlike me.
Carl (not his real name) is tattooed, smokes like a chimney, and has a criminal background. Quite frankly, because of my prejudices, he’s not the type of person I normally associate with. Like most everyone, I seek homogenous relationships. It’s just easier that way. Given all of this, it would be very easy for me to be polite and wave at him from a distance but never make an effort to get to know him. I’ve certainly employed this strategy with other people.
Yet, I feel called to make an effort with him. Why? Well, my wife and I have increasingly discussed our desire to engage in our neighborhood and it seemed like Carl’s arrival coincided with our prayers. Over the past few years, we’ve gotten to know Carl and his family a little bit. We’ve been able to babysit his child many times and even had his family over for dinner. Yet, I didn’t know much of his story. It’s hard to really get to know someone through two minute conversations in the cul-de-sac.
While Carl and I are very different, we found out we did have one thing in common: we both liked disc golf. And so we finally arranged a time to play recently and for the next hour and a half I got to hear his story. We talked a lot about his childhood, his checkered past, and his hopes and dreams for the future. Along the way, I sprinkled in questions about his spiritual background and what he believes about God. Having grown up around the church, Carl felt like he drifted from his faith for many years but now is looking to re-connect. He told me how he’s excited for his recent growth and thanked me for everything our family has done for him along the way. I was excited to hear of his desire to grow spiritually but also look forward to unearthing more about what he believes.
And so it was that the most significant, spiritual conversation I had with my neighbor over the past four years came while throwing a plastic disc into a chain-linked cylinder. Reflecting upon it now, I’m thankful that I engaged with my very different-than-me neighbor. I’m thankful that God is using me in his spiritual journey. And I’m thankful for the power of sports that provided a context for us to break down barriers.
There are may principles illustrated in this story, but I want to focus on three:
- the call of God on us to connect with those around us
- the role of our intentionality in making that connection
- the power of sports to connect people when used intentionally for that purpose
Maybe you are like my friend – you feel called to connect with people in your neighborhood, your workplace, your family, or your friends from other contexts. Like my friend, why don’t you intentionally step out to do so and look for the way sports might be used as a bridge to connect you with them?
If you are looking for some encouragement in this process, check out Outreach Dynamics (available free for a limited time.)
