Truth
Jesse Kueker
Issue date: 11/4/09 Section: Sports
This campus is overflowing with athletes. Athletic abilities ranging from precision passes, dependable endurance, to superior hand-eye coordination. However, let's face truth and realize that our athletic abilities are not unique. Our capabilities are experienced on practically every other college campus in America.
However, something that does make our athletic program unique is a Christian foundation. Besides all of the "Christian" things we may do as team, i.e. praying before practices/games, having team devotionals, etc., each individual Christian has their own truth to discover. Let's face truth and realize that not every one of our athletes would consider themselves a Christian.
So my question is simply "What is the difference?" What is the difference between a runner who follows Jesus and a runner who does not? What is the difference between the soccer player who goes to church on Sunday and believes all of the "right" things and a soccer player who does not?
I drive a Toyota Camry. I am blessed to have means of transportation. However, if something were to go wrong with the car, I know exactly who to go for a needed repair. I would go to a Toyota technician to get the best fitting parts. I could go to the independent dealer across the street, but I know the car's origin, so why wouldn't I take it to the place where it's known best, the place where it was built?
All analogies break down, but the illustration points out the difference of knowing origin. A Christian athlete is fully aware of where his or her athletic ability was created. That ability can be refined or weakened by the individual's work ethic, but as soon as we find a solution to the question, the question can be asked all over again. What is the difference between a Christian who has work ethic and a non-Christian who has work ethic? Answering the question with an identified benefit ends up creating an infinite regression, because we realize that Christians and non-Christians alike are all blessed with the same types of athletic ability.
I do not know the correct answer to the question, but this is what I have experienced: When I hurt in races I think of the hurt Jesus experienced on the cross. This contemplation on the cross somehow can trick the Christian body into suffering more than he or she thinks they are capable of, but the main purpose of the death of Jesus was not to aid me in my races. Nor is being a Christian athlete going to give us the better parts to be a better athlete.
So what is the difference? I believe the ultimate difference is humility. Since the Christian athlete knows the source of their ability, they consider it a blessing from their Creator, not something simply of their own doing. "So what is the difference between a Christian athlete who is humble and a non-Christian athlete who is humble?" Truth.
"I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life." Amen.
However, something that does make our athletic program unique is a Christian foundation. Besides all of the "Christian" things we may do as team, i.e. praying before practices/games, having team devotionals, etc., each individual Christian has their own truth to discover. Let's face truth and realize that not every one of our athletes would consider themselves a Christian.
So my question is simply "What is the difference?" What is the difference between a runner who follows Jesus and a runner who does not? What is the difference between the soccer player who goes to church on Sunday and believes all of the "right" things and a soccer player who does not?
I drive a Toyota Camry. I am blessed to have means of transportation. However, if something were to go wrong with the car, I know exactly who to go for a needed repair. I would go to a Toyota technician to get the best fitting parts. I could go to the independent dealer across the street, but I know the car's origin, so why wouldn't I take it to the place where it's known best, the place where it was built?
All analogies break down, but the illustration points out the difference of knowing origin. A Christian athlete is fully aware of where his or her athletic ability was created. That ability can be refined or weakened by the individual's work ethic, but as soon as we find a solution to the question, the question can be asked all over again. What is the difference between a Christian who has work ethic and a non-Christian who has work ethic? Answering the question with an identified benefit ends up creating an infinite regression, because we realize that Christians and non-Christians alike are all blessed with the same types of athletic ability.
I do not know the correct answer to the question, but this is what I have experienced: When I hurt in races I think of the hurt Jesus experienced on the cross. This contemplation on the cross somehow can trick the Christian body into suffering more than he or she thinks they are capable of, but the main purpose of the death of Jesus was not to aid me in my races. Nor is being a Christian athlete going to give us the better parts to be a better athlete.
So what is the difference? I believe the ultimate difference is humility. Since the Christian athlete knows the source of their ability, they consider it a blessing from their Creator, not something simply of their own doing. "So what is the difference between a Christian athlete who is humble and a non-Christian athlete who is humble?" Truth.
"I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life." Amen.
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