Jesus in Sports

As I attend school and look for a job in the sports industry, my central focus in life will always come back to Jesus Christ and the incredible sacrifice he made for us by dying on the cross. As Christians, we are called to live for Christ in whatever situation we are placed. I believe it is important for us to love and serve others in the work place, in order to be an example to others in our world.

It is always interesting to observe professional athletes and see how they attempt to represent their faith to others. Some take the approach of thanking God each and every time they are interviewed, while others choose to serve their teammates quietly behind the scenes. Often times Christians get a great deal of flack for wearing their faith on their sleeve. It seems to me that there are times in which publicly displaying your faith in God is effective, and other times in which Jesus can be misrepresented. 

The main example that comes to mind of late is Ray Lewis' Superbowl run with the Baltimore Ravens. Ray Lewis over the last few seasons has become one of my favorite people to listen to speak. The passion and energy he brings to every aspect of life is incredible and something to admire. Lewis' troubled past is well documented and many people cannot come to forgive him for it. I am one, though, that believes his life was changed by Jesus Christ, and that Ray Lewis is a new man. However, throughout the 2012 playoff run, Lewis seemed to believe that his Ravens were winning football games because God was on their side. Lewis would be brought to tears after each victory, as he proclaimed things such as, "no weapon formed against him shall prosper," and "anything is possible with God on your side." It seems to me that God does not care who wins or loses a game of professional football. I believe God cares how you go about playing the game of football, and the actions you take while playing. But by no means was the will of God satisfied by Ray Lewis winning a Superbowl. I believe we must be careful as Christians in how we represent Jesus Christ and what faith in him will bring. Did the players with faith in Jesus on the 49ers just not pray hard enough before the game, and therefore God gave Ray the victory? I'd say it came more down to the niners failing to score on four plays inside the 10 yard line to finish the game if you ask me..

I do believe there are many wonderful examples throughout professional sports of athletes serving God in wonderful ways. On this page I will highlight these stories as they appear. Hopefully they can act as an example of the way to serve the Lord in any profession you may choose.