Some days, it’s hard to love your sport. You might rather sleep in than go to early morning practice. Or maybe every season you get beaten by the same team and don’t want to lose again. For Alo, day after day of slow work made it hard to love his sport. It was hard for Sofija to love her sport when an opponent accidentally injured her after she already struggled with comparing herself to others.
It can feel like we give everything we’ve got to our sports. But Jesus tells a crowd that the most important thing is to love God with everything they’ve got and to love people as much as they love themselves. If they were athletes, Jesus would tell them to use their sport to love God and others.
Jesus answered: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. This is the first and most important commandment. The second most important commandment is like this one. And it is, “Love others as much as you love yourself.”
Matthew 22:37–40 (CEV)
The Teammates
Alo
Sport: Soccer
Being disciplined at a sport is a slow process. I know soccer is teaching me dedication and hard work, which I will need later in life at a job and to have a family. In this way, it is a gift. God gives many gifts, but a lot of them come with difficult lessons. In this verse, Jesus asks us to do something that takes a lot of perseverance: loving God with our whole selves. If I accept his words as a gift, even though they are hard to live by, I can love everyone and do other hard things. Just like the words of Jesus, soccer is a gift I can use to show God love and bring him glory. It may take hard work, but I know it’s worth it.
Sofija
Sport: Snowboarding
It can be difficult to love the person that causes you to be injured. One time, when I was snowboarding down an icy slope, a skier clipped me. His ski dug into my ankle and I was badly hurt. Jesus says to love our neighbors as much as ourselves, which was hard for me to do in that moment. I also used to compare myself with other snowboarders because I was smaller and more overweight, but through the Bible I learned that what matters is playing to the best of the ability that God has given me. Comparing myself is not how to love God, myself, or others. To love someone is to see them as God sees them. Even when they’re better or cause an injury. Loving my teammates and competitors pleases God. And, it can be freeing, too.
The Connection
Alo has the right perspective: sports are a gift that God wants us to use to love him and to love people. But who are the people we’re supposed to love? Surely not people we’re jealous of because they’re better than us or opponents who injure us…right? Sofija would say that those are exactly the people we are supposed to love. Not just our friends that show up to our competition holding a sign with our names, but the people who boo us.
This is hard work. Jesus knows this. That’s why he showed us the way: he died because he loved his enemies. And who were his enemies? Us. Because of sin, every person fails to love God perfectly. But because Jesus loves us, he makes a way for us to love God again. Today, you can choose to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind. And you can love God through how you play your sport!
For the Players
Reflect: What is one thing you can do today to love God through your sport?
Share: Think of a teammate or opponent in your town who is hard to love. What is one small way you can show love to them? Do it the next time you see them!
Take a moment to pray:
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your kindness,
For giving me the skills and abilities
To play this sport. (Ephesians 2:10)
Help me to receive my sport as a gift;
As an opportunity to love you,
And to love those around me. (Matthew 22:37–40)
In your great love,
Give me eyes to see others as you see them;
Give me grace to love others as you love them. (John 15:12)
In every part of my sport,
In every area of my life,
I give you all the honor and all the glory. (1 Corinthians 10:31)
Amen.
Press in! Take a moment to read: 1 John 4:19–21
For Coaches and Parents
Read aloud with your team or athlete!
Sofija talks about how comparison keeps her from loving herself, others, and God. Comparison focuses our attention on something we have or something we lack, convincing us we’re either better than somebody or worse. We can’t love God with all our heart, soul, and mind if we believe God is keeping something good from us or another person.
A question for the team/athlete:
How can you trade your comparison for God’s love today?
(Allow a few responses from the team/athlete, then read the follow-up message.)
Follow-up:
It’s hard to stop comparing ourselves. But each day we practice loving God, others, and ourselves the way he intended, the stronger we become. God will never stop loving you! He’s the reason we can love so freely.
