A Crisis of Character

A popular quote is that sports don't build character they reveal it.

This was a tough weekend for our sports. Don't get me wrong...it had some great moments and stories, but it also presented some trials.

The funny thing about these trials is that I preached at our Camden County campus this morning and one of the points in the sermon on discipleship was "God uses trials to teach us to trust Him." It is as if he wants to immediately challenge me to see if I can, literally, practice what I preach!

Our church sports are designed to be a recreational (for fun) and instructional (a chance to learn the game). Satan continues, however, to try to make our sports based on competition in which one person must lose so another can win. OK...I know that is the ultimate outcome of games, but when that becomes the reason for playing...to make others lose so you can win...it moves away from God's purpose of sports and recreation and to a selfishness that is not Christlike.

Here in lies the trials we experienced this weekend. You would think that a church league would be safe from these issues, but some who call themselves Christians choose to yell and berate volunteer referees (good ones at that) to the point of the volunteers leaving in tears. Is this Christlike?

Some who call themselves Christians choose to coach in a way that they intentionally use plays that are not legal and tell the kids if they run it well they can get away with it. What does this teach the players? How is this like Christ?

From professional sports to church gyms and little league fields, character is becoming more and more a problem with players, coaches and fans involved with the games. Some say character is being who you say you are. A better way to say it may be that your character is how you act in the heat of the moment, regardless of what you say about yourself when things are going fine.

It is time to drop the excuses! We can no longer say "it's just competition" or "it's a part of the game". Those are excuses of the devil. There is nothing in scripture that says it is OK to act one way in a situation and another in a different.

It is wrong to yell at referees. It is wrong to try to cheat. It is wrong to allow your youth to think this activity is fine. It is time to take a stand for what is right.

It will not be easy. But it is a battle worth fighting.

If you know me, you know I like NASCAR. There is an interesting development going on right now in that sport. The most popular driver, Dale Earnhart, Jr, has announced he is leaving his current team at the end of this year. Almost everyone desires to have him, and his Budweiser sponsorship, on their team. He would bring a lot of money and fans.

One team that people have mentioned is Joe Gibbs Racing. Gibbs' character, however, will not let that happen. Nascar.com said in an article

But Earnhardt's car sponsor, Budweiser, could prevent a marriage with Gibbs from
happening. The Gibbs organization, whose owner Joe Gibbs is an ardent Christian,
is clearly reticent about bringing an alcohol sponsor on board.

That is character. They are not allowing money, fan support, or anything else pull them away from who they really are.

Often we let sports (or competition) pull us away from who we are as Christians. That is not Christlike...and that has to change.