LightGrams
April 6, 2023
Volume 27, Number 10
In sports, it’s all about winning, right? As a famous coach from the past once said, “Winning isn’t everything – it’s the only thing.” But is that really true? Or is the ultimate purpose of sports the formation of character and values?
A few days ago a women’s softball game was held between the Southeastern University Fire and the Grand View University Vikings. In the top of the fifth inning the Vikings batter came to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded. She hit the ball hard, sending it over the fence for a home run. But the winning run was stalled at first base when the batter pulled her Achilles Tendon; she was unable to get on her feet. Until she rounded the bases her run wouldn’t count. If her teammates or coaches touched her, the run wouldn’t count.
Two players on the opposing team helped the batter round the bases, helping her gingerly touch each base all the way to home plate. One of the Fire players stated after the game that she asked herself, “What would I want someone to do for me after such a great hit?” Her teammate added, “I just thought it was the right thing to do.” In helping the injured player, they helped the winning run cross the plate; their team lost. But did they really lose in the larger scheme of things?
Was this softball game described in the New Testament? It could have been! Jesus, for example, laid down this standard in Luke 6:31: “And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.” That’s what the Southeastern player said in the quote above. Even though it might mean losing the game, this player realized a larger principle in play, and she chose to follow it.
The story also brings to mind Jesus’ statements in Matthew 16:24,25: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” What was most important that day: winning that contest or helping an injured person? Those Southeastern players made the right choice, based on Jesus’ teaching.
Imagine how it might have turned out: The ball has been hit over the fence, but as the batter runs the bases she collapses in pain. The opposing team might have rejoiced over her injury, for that gives them hope of winning the contest. The pain of her strained Achilles Tendon is made worse by the pain of forfeiting the winning run, and the pain of heartless human beings cheering her misfortune.
Thankfully, that latter scenario is not how things turned out. Instead, the world is celebrating “good sportsmanship”; most are calling the team that lost the game the real winners. This statement in a story on Fox 13 / Tampa Bay sums it up well: “The Vikings’ softball coach Lou Yacinich agreed. In a written statement, he said, ‘The display of sportsmanship by the Southeastern softball team speaks volumes to their character, humanity and greater purpose.’”
Doesn’t this again show that Jesus has been right all along? By having an attitude of selflessness (“loses his life for My sake”), we will make deep impressions on those who watch us as we play our games in life.
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Copyright, 2023, Timothy D. Hall. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from the New King James Version (Copyright, 1990, Thomas Nelson, Inc.).
“LightGrams” is produced by the Central Church of Christ, 2722 Oakland Avenue, Johnson City, Tennessee, 37601, and is written by Tim Hall, minister. It is sent free of charge every Thursday to all who request it. To subscribe or to receive more information, write to “Tim@GraceMine.org” (our E-mail address), to the U.S. mail address above, or call (423) 282-1571.
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