Wow. It has been a busy month. I am not believing June is a step away from behind us. A big part of our month has been baseball. If we are not playing, we are practicing. And as soon as we finished our regular season, we began All Stars. Today is our last tournament for the NEA Central All Star team and as I was looking at some pictures of last weekend's tournament, something came to my mind. It has been a re-occurring lesson for me since Wil could walk. It is that sports is mainly the means to God's glory. "Huh?" you say. Before I explain I will give you a little background information.My son is very much on the small end in weight and height. He has always been at or below the 40% mark on the growth chart. He isn't a talker and he doesn't stick out in a crowd. But he can hit a ball, throw a ball, catch a ball, dribble and shoot like no body's business. Give him a sport and he'll love it! And he has been doing that since before he could walk. He never has had any other interest but ball. Another thing about Wilson is that he won't branch out from the comfortable. He was born into the right family because his daddy loves sports and is very competitive. Wil's best friend is his daddy. One reason is that Tommy wears himself out playing ball with Wil. They are very close.
So now to why I say Wil's love for sports is for God's glory or should be for God's glory. I say this mainly out of conviction because with all the games and practices, and traveling, It is easy to get caught up in it and put it before what really matters. God says this in His Word: I Corinthians 10:31 "Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." God created us to live with a single passion to joyfully display His supreme excellence in all the spheres of life NOT just on Sunday mornings and not just when we are around our Christian friends. I could never do enough to thank the Lord Jesus Christ for saving me and putting my feet on the right path. I don't earn my salvation but I want to honor God because of all He has done for me. Last weekend I stunk it up not outwardly but inwardly. I started to care way more about Wil's performance and what others thought of me than of God's glory. I am confessing here as you see. When I got home, I knew that my attitude and heart was way off kilter with the LORD. I was making much of me and not making much of God. And another thing is that by the end of the tournament Trey and Maggie had had enough of baseball and their behavior screamed that for all the fans to see. What was I concerned about? I was concerned about what I looked like as a parent. And I was not looking to good let me tell ya. That should not have been my main concern.
God gives us numerous opportunities to be a light for His glory. We just have to pray and ask for His wisdom, guidance, and courage to love and to speak hope with our lives and our words. God delights in seeing us enjoy what He has created and given us. I believe sports is a blessing for Wil. It is such an outlet for a boy who otherwise is shy and quiet. But as a parent I must point Wil to the One who bestowed that blessing upon him and encourage Wilson to be a light as he plays...to be an encourager to his teammates, to respect his coach, to have self control, to be a good sportsman toward the other team, and at the end of the game to give God honor whether he wins or loses!!!
