The Athlete's Temptation

Bringing glory to God in sports requires much more than kneeling and pointing to the sky in the end-zone. In fact, the temptation for every athlete is to use their sport as an opportunity to impress others with their own athleticism in an attempt to draw attention to themselves.

What are some sure signs of misdirected priorities in sports?

• We have no higher purpose than winning.
• We're more concerned with improving athletic skill than growing in godliness.
• We use sports to glorify ourselves rather than glorifying God through godly actions.

As Christians, our athletic priorities should be shaped by something bigger. When we encounter the eternal, almighty, infinite, and merciful God, there is an authentic heart change that can and should change our goals and behaviors on the field:

• Our attention turns away from ourselves and towards God.
• We walk onto the field much less likely to brag, jockey for attention, or win others' admiration.
• Every play, every inning, every race becomes an opportunity to draw attention to God.

“Sports are a gift from God. But as soon as you introduce the human heart, things get complicated,” explains author C. J. Mahaney “But sports, like anything else in life, is [also] an opportunity to glorify God.”

Learn more about C. J. Mahaney's new booklet, Don't Waste Your Sports.