Christian Living

Eight Spiritual Lessons From The Sports World

by Terry Barlow
02/19/26
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Lesson # 1. Keep Your Head In The Game Do not rehash a just past mistake or over celebrate a good play to the extent that you are distracted from the presently unfolding play. (Apostle Paul wrote in Phillipians 3 v 13, “..this one thing I do; forgetting those things behind and stretching forward to those things ahead….”)  And as a corollary, how many times have we seen a basketball player so excited that he just made a basket, turn immediately around and commit a defensive foul at the other end of the court, effectively giving back to the other team the points he scored only seconds before? This happens all too often!

Lesson #2. Put The Opposition Away While You Can.

Do not leave a door open whereby the opposition can creep back into the game little by little and bite you, stealing and snatching a victory out of the jaws of defeat, because you relaxed prematurely.

(Case in point: 2 Kings 13 where King Joash only struck the ground three times in response to Elisha who had promised a more convincing and complete victory over the Syrians. This was Elisha's last prophetic action before his death, thus meriting even closer attention.  Also see Joshua 8 v26 and the decisive victory over the people of Ai.)

Lesson # 3. Be Willing To Play Hurt (within reason of course) especially down the playoff stretch.  Your 75 or 80% might serve the team or the cause better than an alternate player's 100%.

(We are to bear or shoulder our share of suffering as good soldiers.....2 Tim 2 v3)

Lesson #4. Have Ears To Hear The Audible 

  As a quarterback in football will utter an audible at the line of scrimmage to tweak or radically change the play when he sees certain adjustments in the defense, so God will change up plans to suit the moment, even when the past strategies have proven successful.  And blessed be the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape!

(In 2 Samuel 5 v24 David had been victorious with one strategy in the previous charge against the Philistines, but didnt assume he should approach a second charge the same way. He had the presence of mind to inquire still another time of the Lord, who gave him a surprisingly different strategy which was equally successful. Also Abraham in Genesis 22 [where love is first mentioned in the Bible] was listening to God up to the very last moment and thus did not sacrifice his son because God stopped him and provided a ram for the sacrifice instead.)

Lesson #5. Don't Provide Bulletin Board Material To Opposition

Don't speak arrogantly or ill-advisedly against the other team. An intelligent coach and able captains know how to use such foolish words to bring added motivation to their players, whose motivation is likely high enough already without you boosting it unnecessarily. Remember Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) saying he could only be licked if he was a postage stamp, and then promptly losing to Joe Frazier!  Frazier was relatively quiet and let his fists do the talking.
( Proverbs 18 v12 tells us that haughtiness precedes destruction but that humility precedes honor. James 1 v19 says "be quick to hear and slow to speak and slow to anger."  James also tells us in Chapter 4 v10 to "humble ourselves in the presence of the Lord and He will exalt you.")

Lesson #6  Play Your Assigned Role And Be Content

  Once a football team was only able to move the ball downfield with one play over and over because it was the only one that was working: the button hook pass to the tight end on the right. By the time the team was nearing the goal line the defense began to swarm all over that end to prevent another completion. That freed up a fullback who probably hadn't caught a pass all year. But he was open in the endzone for the completion and a touchdown. The tight end had done most of the work and served as a decoy on the final play to make the touchdown possible. He played his part well but didn't experience the final thrill of the touchdow. He was a little disappointed not to score, but mostly he was happy for the team's successful drive (and the fullback) and content with his key role in it. 
("Be content in all things.......")  Phillipians 4 v11-13

("Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them....according to the proportion of his faith.")  Romans 12 v6

Lesson #7  Let Your Coach Motivate You

   When I played Little League baseball one of our coaches was driving me and one of my best friends to an evening game. As we conversed on the way he asked me a disturbing question, a question I didn't know how to answer: "Well, you can't hit can you?"  My friend in the car with me told me later that it was unkind and even mean of the coach (whose name was Milt) to ask me that.  It just so happens that I went on to hit a home run that night, and also the next time we played that particular team, just for good measure. Could Milt's probing question have had something to do with that to light a fire under me to perform more to the level of what he knew my potential to be? I think so as I look back upon those events today. 
   As if to reinforce that reality let me cite still further evidence of the same principle in my development as an athlete. In high school basketball I had practiced all week with the starting five, until the night of the game when Coach Fetrow informed us in the locker room that another player was to take my place in the starting five. I was stunned and there was even a shocked and speechless expression on the face of my replacement.  I was lnserted into the game almost immediately after it started, but with a lot more motivation than I would have had otherwise. This was one more example of a coach that knew exactly what he was doing to extract a greater effort from his player, even if the tactic seemed unkind or unfair at the time.  I am sure those experiences helpled in my development as an athlete.   Our heavenly coach Jesus knows how to wake us up and get our undivided attention and fully energized performance, and just whom to use to accomplish it.

"Let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds."  (Hebrews 10 v.24-25)

Lesson #8.   To Hustle Is Not To Hurry 

   Hustling is not to be confused with being in a hurry.  Being in a hurry predisposes one to making mistakes and overlooking something important.  Sometimes hurry is unavoidable as in a hurry up offense offense in a football game when the situation calls for it, but it is never the ideal scenario.  Hustle, on the other hand, has to do with putting one's whole heart and energy into the effort involved.  In its pure and original sense, it has nothing to do with exploiting or taking advantage of someone as in someone getting hustled by a "hustler."  That caricature has given true hustle a bad rap.  True hustle is doing something with the passion and enthusiasm it deserves if it's going to be done at all.  Hurry is so often accompanied by impatience whereas hustle manifests a sense of eagerness.

("Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might."  Ecclesiastes Chapter 9, verse 10)