“Let Him who boasts, boast in the Lord.” — 1 Corinthians 1:31 (NAS)
Pride
I would guess that many of us who competed in sports at the high school, college or professional level would like to believe that we were pretty good at what we do. After all, not everyone makes the team. Not everyone wins at state. Not everyone can handle the rigors of competition at a regional or national level, much less keep up with a demanding school schedule. Not everyone has what it takes to go pro.
While it may be fine to acknowledge God-given abilities and to be a good steward of those gifts, the heart can subtly lead you to a state of pride. And we all know what pride can do. It can blind us to the true source of our abilities. It can stress our relationships with others. It can cause God to oppose us. In short, it leads to our downfall.
The Apostle Paul had much to boast about with respect to his religious accomplishments, but he understood that anything which might have given him an edge was considered as worthless in God’s sight. All that mattered was having Christ and His righteousness (Philippians 3:4-9).
This is the attitude of humility. It is the attitude which gets God’s attention and opens the door to His grace.
— Matthew Smart
If you would like to submit a reader devotional, please email all submissions to jason@sportsspectrum.com.
