“Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the Heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest.” — Hebrews 3:1
Jesus is Greater
The writer of Hebrews aims to make sure we know that Jesus is greater than everything else. The question should be asked daily: “Is Jesus greater than everything in your life?” The Hebrews struggled on whether Jesus was greater than angels, prophets, Moses and even sacrifices. Those questions may not resonate with you, but what rivals Jesus in your life?
There’s no better time to ask yourself this question than right now. This is a prime time of the year for sports to rival our relationship with Jesus. It’s easy to get lost in the highs and lows of our favorite teams as they start a fresh season or compete for a playoff spot. Are your emotions moved by God’s blessings in the same way as when your team scores that go-ahead touchdown? Are you as frustrated with sin as that bad play call or strikeout? What rules your thoughts during the day? These momentary reflections are sure to illuminate our need for God’s never-ending grace.
Clemson Tigers coach Dabo Swinney said recently, “Probably the greatest accomplishment that I have had to this point is to see my three sons come to know Christ and to know him as their Lord and Savior.” This is coming from a man who has won a national championship as a coach and player. His words prove to us what is ultimately important in this lifetime.
This time of year brings Christ-followers an extraordinary opportunity to connect and disciple others using sports as a vessel. Sports provide a commonality with others who may not have felt the love of Jesus in their lives. Let’s use this time to glorify God and make disciples. Let us not forget the One who sustains our lives and never changes!
— Ryan Noelte
If you would like to submit a reader devotional, please email all submissions to jason@sportsspectrum.com.
Sir Alex Ferguson is considered by many to be the greatest soccer manager of all time, winning 1,253 total games from 1974 until his retirement in 2013. Most notably, he guided Manchester United to an incredible 38 trophies (13 Premier League titles) from 1986-2013, building a decades-long dynasty with the club and redefining the standard of sustained excellence for all managers to follow.
Among Ferguson’s many skills was his ability to tailor his coaching style to each player in order to motivate and make him the best he could be. For example, Ferguson made famous what is known as the “hairdryer treatment” in which he would explode in a fiery verbal reprimand of a player delivered at close range, metaphorically blowing his hair back.
Yet at the same time, he knew the “hairdryer treatment” wouldn’t motivate everyone but actually do the opposite. He once said, “You can’t always come in shouting and screaming. That doesn’t work. No one likes to get criticized.”
The “hairdryer treatment” or calm, steady words of encouragement. Either way, Ferguson left no potential untapped. He wouldn’t have been able to sustain such managerial success in this way without truly knowing his players — knowing what they needed and when, what to say and how to say it. He learned them. He was attentive to them and how they responded.
As followers of Christ, we can rest in the fact that we have a God who knows us perfectly. He knows us much better than our family members and friends. In fact, He knows every hair on our heads and every thought before we think it. He knows what we want, but He also knows what we need. God the Holy Spirit prays on our behalf when we don’t have the words to express ourselves. As a mother attends to her precious newborn baby, even more so does God attend to us, and He’s always working for our good.
This is also true when it comes to our lifelong battle to put sin to death. Using imagery of God as a shepherd, Psalm 23:4 says in part, “Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
Sometimes we need greater discipline as we strive after obedience, and God uses the disciplinary tool of a rod to provide that discipline. But other times we are disheartened about the pervasiveness of our sin, and He uses His staff to gently encourage and guide us in the right direction.
Jesus is our Good Shepherd. He knows each of us, and He knows exactly what we need to arrive safely at home in the arms of our Heavenly Father.
We often think of ministry happening within the quiet walls of a church or from behind a wooden altar. But God is a master of using unexpected, high-stakes stages to scatter His truth. Look no further than the intense pressure of the NBA Finals, the global stage of the World Cup, or the deafening roar of more than 100,000 fans at Ohio State’s stadium on a crisp autumn Saturday.
These massive sporting events are more than just games. They are arenas where God works far beyond the pulpit.
When a basketball star points upward after a championship-clinching buzzer-beater, or a soccer player falls to their knees in prayer on the pitch while millions watch, a spiritual seed is planted. When a college football player or coach handles a heartbreaking, season-ending loss with profound grace and humility, they are preaching a powerful sermon on resilience without ever uttering a traditional sermon.
God regularly uses the sweat, grit and raw emotion of sports to speak to hearts that might never step foot inside a traditional church building. The discipline, teamwork and integrity displayed under the bright lights mirror Biblical truths of endurance and unity.
You don’t need a microphone or a formal title to be used by God. Whether you are performing on a global broadcast, competing on a local rec field, or simply navigating the high-pressure demands of your daily work, your actions are broadcasting a message. Under pressure, your character becomes the sermon.
If you’ve ever watched professional tennis, you’ve surely noticed the chair umpire that sits at mid-court and the line judges placed around the court, ready to make line calls. But at lower levels of the sport, those parameters don’t exist. In most high school and junior matches, players are responsible for making their own line calls.
From an early age, tennis players are taught the fundamentals and strategies of the game. They’re also taught how to make honest calls and how to compete with character and integrity. In these matches, every call depends on the player on the receiving end of the shot. If a ball is close, they can call it out, and that decision stands. An opponent can question it, but ultimately, the call belongs to the player. In other words, if someone wants to cheat, they can.
Realistically, this kind of behavior doesn’t last long. If it becomes obvious, a line judge can be brought in — usually a coach or a tournament official. But in the moment — especially if a game or a set hinges on a close call — players face the temptation to make a call in their favor.
When I played, I never wanted to win like that. I would rather lose than know I won by cheating my opponent out of a close call. I’ve been on the other end of those kinds of calls, and it doesn’t feel good. A win like that never feels clean, and it’s not something you can actually be proud of. Now, as a coach, I try to instill that same mindset in my players. If a shot is close and they’re unsure about the call, it’s the opponent’s point.
Character matters, both in sports and in life. And sports can be a valuable training ground for us to cement strong character in our everyday decisions.
The Bible is clear that we must operate with integrity and character in everything we do in life. Proverbs 21:3 says, “To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.” Or we can just look to the Golden Rule in Luke 6:31: “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”
Our goal in life is not to come out on top or be the winner in every pursuit; it’s to allow our hearts and minds to be formed like Jesus. Winning a match will never matter as much as the condition of your heart. Sports offer a ton of temptation to neglect these moral and ethical callings, but even something as small as a line call in a tennis match can present an opportunity to either compromise or live with integrity.
Choosing to operate with character and integrity might cost you a point or a match, and people may not always understand it. They may even disagree with it. But you will always honor God with your athletic ability when you use it in a way that promotes Christlike character and integrity.
New York Giants QB Jameis Winston greets U.S. fans, June 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Maddy Grassy)
Thousands of soccer fans from around the world have descended upon North America over the past month to cheer on their teams, experience some of the novelties of American culture, and celebrate the absolute best that “the beautiful game” has to offer.
Yet perhaps no one has had more fun than NFL quarterback Jameis Winston. The New York Giants veteran has been serving as Fox Sports’ World Cup correspondent, stepping into some of the unique traditions of other nations and inviting a captivated American audience along for the wild ride.
The 2013 Heisman Trophy winner, 2013 national champion with Florida State, and No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, Winston seemed destined for a lengthy NFL career. What may not have been as expected is that he’s morphed into one of the most engaging personalities in the league.
And as can be seen in his World Cup coverage, Fox Sports is taking full advantage. Winston has also covered the 2025 Super Bowl with Fox Sports and the 2026 MLB opener with Netflix.
“Can’t wait to be back with @FOXSports team,” he wrote on X after announcing he’d be a World Cup correspondent, “and be part of the biggest global sporting event in the World!”
What makes Winston’s extended foray into television this summer more remarkable is that he’s still an active NFL player. The 32-year-old is entering the second season of a two-year deal with New York, last year backing up rookie Jaxson Dart. The Giants held their offseason organized team activities (OTAs) and minicamp just before the start of the World Cup on June 11, and their training camp begins a few days after the World Cup final on July 19.
But even with his sights set on a possible second career in television once his time in the NFL comes to a close, Winston isn’t coasting to the finish line. In fact, many believe the 2015 Pro Bowler is still a top-five backup quarterback in the league. He talked about his NFL future, and his deep desire to win a Super Bowl before it’s all over, in his most recent appearance on the Sports Spectrum Podcast in April.
“I believe in the team that’s around me, and I believe in a God that’s providing me with these opportunities,” he said on the podcast about his still yet-to-be-achieved NFL aspirations.
Throughout his career, Winston has also emerged as one of the most recognizable followers of Christ in the NFL. He said on the podcast that he’s learned over the years to rest in God’s sovereignty rather than chase the approval of other people.
“I was so consumed with being liked by my coaches, you know what I’m saying? Being sought in the eyes of my fellow players as a great player,” he said about his early days in the NFL, “that I missed the fact of, ‘God already called me to do this! Why am I trying to go above and beyond to impress somebody that didn’t write this and who didn’t finish it for me?'”
The combination of his gregarious personality, his expressive and candid demeanor, and his Bible-saturated wisdom makes Winston an effective motivator. As a result, he often breaks down Giants huddles, and when it comes to the things of faith, he seeks to inspire others so that they too might come to know the saving grace of his Heavenly Father.
“[God] has given me the responsibility to create disciples in His Name and spread His Word and be bold about Him,” he said on the podcast. “I’m so happy and grateful that God sent His only begotten Son on this earth to die and rise again for not just me but for all of us.”
Winston and his teammates will begin preparing for the 2026-27 season when the Giants report for training camp at the end of this month. New York hopes to improve on a 4-13 record a season ago and return to the playoffs for the first time since 2022-23.
