I grew up with sports and enjoy many of them yet today. Watching sporting events in person or on TV helps me release daily stress, and forget about worries or deadlines for a few minutes or hours.
On the younger side of 50, I participated in and enjoyed many sports. The exercise and team work provided many health benefits, meaningful friendships, learnings, and fun.
Now, as my lung cancer status remains “stable,” I enjoy working out at the local wellness center, and occasionally helped with play-by-play of Larks’ home basketball games. Of course, I’ll be watching March Madness (college basketball).
Marion Bontrager cautions us on page 13 to keep sports in its proper perspective. Since I can be quite competitive and hate to lose, his word is a good reminder.
To that end, the apostle Paul used track and field imagery in several of his writings to early churches, like in 1 Corinthians 9:25, “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown (perishable wreath) that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”
My NIV Study Bible says the Corinthians were familiar with the foot races in their own Isthmian games, which occurred every other year and were second only to the Olympic games in importance.
Yes, I’ll probably watch the 2008 Olympic Summer Games in Beijing. But we Christians need to remember that the Olympics are not the ultimate goal.
Our goal should be to win the race in our journey with God by loving “the Lord your God with all your heart...soul...strength...and mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27)
May it be so for each of us.
Phil Richard, editor