the futility of sports

In the last few months God has really changed my desires and diminished the value that I derive from playing/watching sports. I do want to add a disclaimer that I am not anti-sports nor have a ceased to ever play/compete again, but there has been a significant change in my desires and satisfaction in sports.

A little background: Since the age of 5 , I have always been active playing baseball or soccer or swimming or football or basketball or just about any sport one can think of. Even after the High School days ceased, I stayed active in intramurals throughout my years at A&M. The post-college years continued to stay busy with basketball leagues, softball leagues, and flag football. Needless to say, sports have always defined who I am to some degree. I have been blessed with a hard work ethic and a healthy body and through these I have been successful at most sports which have added to sports defining who I am.

Over the last fours years I have met numerous friends through 2nd Baptist and various softball leagues and what most of these folks know about me is "hey, Billy is a good receiver or Billy is a good softball player." To me that is really sad. My aim in life is to make much of Jesus Christ and to bring glory and fame to God. I don't want to be known for some temporary, man-centered pseudo-glory that comes from winning a meaningless game or winning a championship, cotton T-shirt. I also feel the conviction from Ephesians 5, where Paul exhorts us to make the "best use of our time." I don't want my nights and weekends to be filled with trivialities. Yes, it is OK to play sports once a week or in moderation, but my desire is to spend my evenings and weekends pursuing real relationships and doing Kingdom-building things. Investing my time in the Word, loving others, serving others, and cultivating meaningful relationships to bring glory to God is how I desire to spend my time now. I don't know why it took me 27 years to want to grow up and leave the childhood sports dreams behind, but I am thankful for God's deliverance.

I don't want people to think that I am over-reacting, but sports (tournament softball in particular) have damaged some of my precious relationships and have stolen many valuable hours from me which could have been used for much bigger things. Sports in moderation is OK, but weekend-long tournaments and golfing on every Saturday while the wife is at home are serious sins. They damage relationships and take over lives. They become idols. Matthew 12:34 says "for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." When I was wrapped up in softball 5 times a week and playing tournament ball, softball was all I talked about.

Let us be consumed by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and fill our conversations with glorious, eternal truths. By meditating on the Word day and night and delighting ourselves in God we will not be able to not talk about our King. I pray others will join me in the surrender of trivial things whether it be sports, TV, video games, etc.