For everyone who loves sports and competition, spring is the ultimate season. Warm weather returns, daylight savings time kicks in and sports have something for everyone. Baseball season begins, professional basketball becomes relevant, golf has the Masters, college football comes back to life, hockey gets interesting (for the first time) and the crowning jewel is March Madness. Pick your team and let the games begin.
The two best things about sports is the competitive nature and the clock. The clock reminds us time is of the essence and there is a beginning and an end. In a competition there is a winner and a loser. There is no blue ribbon for participation, only for winning. Every member of the human race is hardwired to compete, play and win because we were born as players into the biggest competition of all time; creation.
The games begun when Adam and Eve were created into space and time. For Christ followers, the fact that the first couple was dropped into a world that was enemy territory makes the game of life more like a war game than a sporting event. Fast forward to 2017 and it’s not popular in the pulpit or politics to recognize the spiritual battle at the heart of every breath we take, but the facts remain the same from day one. The human race is designed to play and win the contest of the millennium.
The competition for believers was outlined in Ephesians 6:12. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Our adversary has been around for a long time and has a high opinion of himself to say the least. Christ followers must remember life is a team sport and there is a clock ticking. To help with our weakness, playing time is limited to a lifetime and not eternity.
To stay with the sports metaphor, our coach rotates his players and substitutes with the best of them. James gave a nice sideline speech to remind us we don’t know how much game time we have left. “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” James 4:14. In simple terms, we are players not coaches. Stay apprised of the coaches plan for your life and remember only He knows whats left on the clock. Enjoy your career but leave the front office decisions to the owner.
God renovated this Earth into a beautiful stadium and designed the game of all games. One of the best aspects for believers is that the game doesn’t last forever. I was 50 when my father got sick at 75 years old. Right or wrong, I looked at my dad and thought, ‘OK, I’ve got 25 years.’ It sounded like a 2 minute warning to me. Maybe it was just the end of the first half or the third quarter, I don’t know. Regardless, I heard a warning and went back to the coach to make sure of the game plan. I wanted to be a team player and not sit on the sidelines for the rest of my time. I encourage everyone to do the same and let Him evaluate your competitiveness.
Christ taught some of the earliest Christian team members that life can be so much fun we get carried away with the game itself. The disciple John reminded all the players, “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.” 1st John 2:15. John knew if you got all wrapped up in the game, you would lose sight of the team and not play to win. We were created to win this competition by staying on His team and letting Him live through us.
Men and women were created to be great players. Psalms 8:4-6 says, “what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of your hands: you put everything under their feet.” Crowns are given to victors in competition. We were made rulers to win the game and not for our own glory. Central to the competition we are engaged in is that you can’t win by loving the game or yourself more than the coach and the team.
We’ve all seen businessmen, athletes, politicians even artists fall to their own talents and abilities. Christ set the correct role model by giving his life. Jesus was the original MVP but He didn’t win any individual awards when He played. Paul reminded us the awards for our playing time aren’t on this side of the dirt. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day-and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:7-8.
Our playing time is relatively short and we are all position players. An athlete knows that means you must be ready when your play is called. Age does not matter in the game of life. You are a valuable player at all ages and you are in the game till your last breath. “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” 2 Corinthians 4:16. Play like you were designed to play. Finish the drill.
All that spring has to offer represents playing to win. Seeds come back to life and bloom. Champions are crowned. Recommit to the team, the competition and play until the buzzer…play to win.