“When wisdom enters your heart, And knowledge is pleasant to your soul, Discretion will preserve you; Understanding will keep you.” — Proverbs 2:10-11
Seek Wisdom
It pains me to see so many talented, young college and professional players who cannot make it successfully because they are consistently getting in their own way. It seems every day that another talented player stumbles. And unfortunately, wasted talent isn’t limited to the sporting world.
When you look at the Lord’s words above, you wish more young people, not just athletes, would get it. When we allow God’s wisdom to enter our hearts, we can truly be what the Lord wants us to be in whatever He has called us. And for a talented athlete, that can mean reaching all sorts of heights to spread the Gospel to a nation in need.
Unfortunately, we do not allow His wisdom to enter our hearts, and do not have discretion to preserve us or understanding to keep us. We become wise in our own eyes and think we do not need the Lord. That is the prevailing thought of the young generation today, and definitely is a popular view among young athletes.
The Lord makes it clear that we are not to deceive ourselves. He says, “If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God” (1 Corinthians 3:18-19).
As young athletes continue to grow in their sport, we can only pray that they come to the wisdom of God. If this happens, God’s discretion will preserve them and His understanding will keep them, despite worldly temptations and traps. Unfortunately, without God, most of them will be heading to a headline near you soon. And I’m not talking about the one where he or she helps her team win the game.
Live wisely and in such a way that pleases God.
— Brendan Handel
If you would like to submit a reader devotional, please email all submissions to jason@sportsspectrum.com.
