Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 1 Cor 9:25
The Christian life is the ultimate competition – the “game” we play is matter of life or death. The medal, the championship, the ring, the trophy, the “crown” we compete for is eternal life, or more specifically, life with God. This raises the obvious question: “How do we do this?” That’s what this blog, CompetingWell, is all about! If you’re new to the site, start here and I suggest you read the posts in sequence (first to last).
Recently a number of my players have been wearing on their wrist the rubber bracelet that states, “I Play for Him”. This is a great reminder for Christian athletes, but inquisitively I have tendency to ask them, “What does that mean?” Typically, I get the answer that goes something like this, “You know coach, I play for His glory!” Again, I inquire, “What does that mean?” They respond, “All things for His glory; I give him the glory and thanks for my accomplishments.” Then I can’t help myself, I ask, “What about your defeats and failures? Who do you give thanks for those?” I pose these questions because I’m not confident that we (Christians) fully understand what it means to “Play for Him”.
No doubt, if we are Christians we play (and practice) for Him! We play on his team, so to speak, and when we play (and practice) we represent Christ. We play for Him and before Him – He is the one we seek to impress. This reality informs and shapes “why” we compete. Even more so, when we play (and practice) we are literally competing for Him. That is, when we compete (and practice) within a given sport we are competing to take hold of the eternal life that is found with God. Here, the sport actually becomes the avenue through which an individual (Christian athlete) lives out their relationship with God. This truth informs and shapes “what” we are competing for as Christians. To “play for Him” then carries two senses: 1) it means to play in honor of Him; and 2) it means to literally compete within a given sport to “win” life with God. (One of the main goals of this blog-site is to explain this 2nd sense)
“How” we compete then makes all the difference – for the reward of competing well is the presence of God.