People bow to sports events by the millions in this country alone. Many pay enormous sums of money to watch a single sports event. What is worse is that church meetings are being scheduled around, and in some cases even canceled, for sports events. Even among the leaders of some congregations the talk seems to be of nothing but sports and the marvelous performances of the athletes.
Some athlete praying in the end zone after a touchdown does not sanctify the event. While we do appreciate hearing the name of the Lord anywhere it may be named, it hardly seems reasonable that the King of kings and Lord of lords has a preference as to which team wins the game. God couldn't care less what team wins the Super Bowl, the World Series, the Indianapolis 500, or the NBA Championship! These events, while significant in the minds of the worldly, amount to nothing in the grand scope of eternity!
"Seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church" (I Cor. 14:12). If Christian athletes truly desire to profit the body of Christ, they will be more interested in gathering together on the Lord's day and feeding His sheep, and not entertaining the masses.
Satan has been overwhelmingly successful in robbing people of precious time by luring them to worship at, the altar of the sports event. This deplorable situation also robs God of true worship, love, and devotion that should be rendered to Him, but is instead being directed to the extremely overpaid professional athlete.
The celebrities that some people think of as legendary sports heroes may be more accurately described as the gods of this world. Children and adults alike worship them. They try to emulate them. They want shoes like the athletes wear, cards and posters with their pictures on them, hair styled like them, clothing with their names and team numbers on them, and their autographs in their books.
Hasn't today's society returned to the same backward, corrupted values as ancient Rome? People flock out to the stadium or arena by the scores of thousands, and millions more sit around their television sets to watch some men play a silly game, be vulgar, fight each other, threaten, throw temper tantrums, and swear. They set some of the worst examples for our children to follow and yet they are put on the highest pedestals to be worshiped.
God's people should be urged to be careful that this worldly god does not creep in and steal their time, money, and affection. The world may put the athletes and the sports events at the forefront of life's most important things, but sensible people especially God's people-should know better. Let us devote our resources to the more important matters of preparing ourselves and our brethren for eternity.
THE BANNER OF TRUTH-M.B.
8/1/97