Last week, prior to the start of the SAC championship swim and dive meet, I posed this question to the team: “What’s the hardest thing to do in sports?”
A variety of answers came as we discussed it. Some said physical achievements like winning the Stanley Cup, hitting a 100 mph fastball, or winning state in swimming. Others said things like honesty, getting through every practice with high intensity or sportsmanship.
I think it’s competing and coaching like Jesus. As a team we read Philippians 2:1-4 where Paul explains that if you’re a follower of Christ, “do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
In athletics, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of chasing achievement. Your chase may be to break records, to win a conference championship or just to personally improve your standing. And it’s sure fun in the moment!
As a coach, I am not immune to those things, but I also think about the areas in life where we all chase achievement. Whether it’s earning more money, a better job, a nicer house, paying off debt, that vacation or (insert your life situation!) we all do it.
Yet scripture illustrates in so many places that the pursuit of personal glory and achievement will come up empty. Not just for those who fail in their physical pursuits, but for those who appear to have been successful. You’ll come up empty. That’s not just in athletics, that’s in life — in everything we do.
It’s the pursuit of living a life that honors and glorifies Jesus Christ that brings true fulfillment and eternal life.
That’s my prayer and goal every moment for myself, my family, my team, my students and I pray it would be true in your life as well.
Colossians 3:1 “… seek the things that are above, where Christ is …”
Sean Gibson,
Social Studies & Swim Coach