Life Actually: 10 things athletes should know

My late father-in-law enjoyed college football, but he never let the outcome control his mood. In fact, he often joked, “Don’t let your happiness depend on 18-year-old boys.”

That is easier said than done, right? Especially in the South, where football is a religion, victories and defeats can dictate moods for weeks or months on end.

Why the obsession? How has football bloomed into a billion-dollar industry? I find it interesting (and somewhat crazy) that Americans will pack stadiums and pour money into a sport that revolves around one ball. Many people care more passionately about who dominates that one ball than they do eternal matters.

Yet God’s genius is that He can use anything — even one ball — to speak to us. He meets us where we are and often tells epic stories in stadiums and arenas. Through lows and mountaintop moments, we can experience Him, learning lessons about life and character that can only be taught through exciting high-stakes events.

Following are 10 things athletes should know. Whether you’re a college co-ed or Little Leaguer, male or female, the same principles apply.

1. Humility matters. Athletes often develop egos due to praise or obsessive worship, but remember: You’re only one bad break away from being out of the game forever. Talent is fragile, and every day you have it is a gift. You could wake up tomorrow without your gift, so enjoy it, use it, but always stay grateful for the grace behind the blessing.

2. Your inner light matters. Christine Caine said, “If the light that is on you is brighter than the light that is in you, the light that is on you will destroy you.” Pride comes before the fall, and history is filled with superstars who fell from grace because of arrogance and selfish ambition. Only with Christ’s light inside us are any of us capable of fighting external temptations with the help of the Holy Spirit.

3. Emotions are good followers and terrible leaders. Playing sports can trigger tricky emotions (anger, disappointment, sadness, jealousy) that should be processed yet kept in check. Tangled emotions make it hard to think clearly or act reasonably and can lead to impulsive behavior. This short-term relief isn’t worth the long-term consequences. In addition, gloating and bragging can be just as harmful to relationships and reputations as the negative emotions commonly seen.

4. Even the greats have off-days. Even superstars get mental blocks. Today may not be your day or your season, and that’s okay. It doesn’t make you weak; it makes you human. God’s power is made perfect through weakness, and your lowest moments are your best opportunities to grow in faith and learn to depend on Him.

5. Who you listen to can make or break you. It is worth playing a sport just to train under wisdom. Strong coaches, leaders and mentors are worth their weight in gold, and if you’re coachable — letting them shape you, stretch you and cultivate a champion’s heart — you’ll be better prepared for life. Critics and Twitter trolls, on the other hand, only discourage you with negative energy. Guard your heart and mind, and remember the biggest threat is the critic in your head. Believe in yourself even when no one else does.

6. The point of having talent isn’t to show off, but to point people to God. Whatever stage, notoriety, microphone or platform you have, use it for good. Show class and be a light as God visibly works through you to reveal invisible truths.

7. You can quickly become yesterday’s news. Fans are fickle and will re-channel their attention to the Next New Thing. If your selfworth is based on human approval, if you have nothing real and lasting to cling to, changes will crush you. Appreciate fan support, but play for your audience of One.

8. Records are eventually broken. Celebrate achievements, but don’t let them go to your head. Dr. James Dobson has a sermon about visiting his old high school and finding his tennis trophies in the trash to make room for new ones in the trophy case. He realized then how human accomplishments never stand the test of time, and rather than put emphasis on those, we should work to grow God’s kingdom.

9. How you treat teammates is a major character test. It is natural to compare and feel inferior or superior, but good teammates get over this. Nobody takes all the credit or all the blame because they realize how multiple players lay the groundwork so one person can finish the job. When a teammate is down, encourage them. When they’re on fire, cheer for them. Some people already hope for them to fail. Don’t be one of them.

10. Sports are temporary, but God is forever. Your greatest legacy isn’t the name you build for yourself, but the name you magnify by putting your faith into action.

In the end, we’re all on the same team. We may cheer against rivals who compete for the one ball, but we’re united under one God. That trumps everything.

Whatever the final score, the real victory happens in the hearts of players, coaches and fans. Sports can break hearts and heal hearts, reveal character and character flaws, and tell emotionally riveting stories that shape and inform our conscience.

Saturday may bring an adrenaline rush, but Sunday brings peace. One is temporary, one is eternal, and keeping in mind the difference can make the weekend all the more enjoyable.