So often, athletes pray, singly or together, and so often, athletes thank God for a big win. I touched on this theme of God picking sides a little in my post God Doesn’t Do Wings, and I even mentioned the thing about sports teams thinking God is maybe on their side in How Would Jesus Vote?, but the point bears repeating for those who try to drag the Almighty into their sporting world.
God does not give a shit who wins an athletic competition.
I am not saying this to dissuade prayer among athletes. By all means, pray that you do well and that you and your teammates continue to be able to work and support your families and be healthy. Pray that at the end of the game, no one has to go to the hospital. Pray that the fans on both sides enjoy the game and get home safely.
But don’t pray to win. Don’t pray to complete the next play or drive or at-bat successfully.
God doesn’t care.
Not even during the World Series or the Super Bowl.
Yeah, I know this doesn’t qualify for a truly substantive post, but it may satisfy any guys who thought the previous post today just wasn’t testosterone-laden enough for them.
Athletes praying! How about all those fans? How many times have we seen them, hands tented in prayer, their lips silently and not so silently pleading, “Please! Please! Please!,” for that Hail Mary pass to be completed, and the sinking of that last minute bucket to win a game or send it into overtime.
A prayer that blesses or benefits one at the expense of another is not a prayer, but a “con.” It’s my belief that God doesn’t side with “anyone” in these matters. Why? Because He’s siding With Us All. As such, it would be foolish to ask him to take one side, and ignore the other.
How infinitesimally insignificant is a game in the grand scheme of things. We place far too much importance on child’s play, and let the weightier issues of life go unheeded.
Lest you take from this that I don’t enjoy a competitive game of basketball, or tennis, or football, let me assure you that I haven’t yet reached the level of a Highly Evolved Being, where competition, “winning by creating a loser,” is both unthinkable, and unsportsmanlike.
Namaste
Yeah, I forgot to mention the fans and should have. But at least they don’t often end up on camera thanking Jesus or God for the win.
😉
Good point!
Of course, as I was driving Little Girl Blue to daycare today, it occurred to me that entertainment personalities in music, acting, etc. are very guilty of this as well, though it’s usually the act of thanking God or Jesus during an awards ceremony.
Please, instead of thanking one or both for giving you the Oscar or Grammy or whatever, maybe consider thanking them for the gift of your talent or for blessing you with a loving and supportive family or a good manager or something like that.