“The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here. The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here.” — Matthew 12:41-42
>> Sign up here for Sports Spectrum devotionals sent right to your email inbox <<
Ronald Acuna Jr. is one of the few baseball players who possesses Olympic-type speed and Hank Aaron-type power. In 2023, he was the unanimous choice for National League Most Valuable Player. His statistics were eye popping: He played in 159 out of 162 games, hit 41 home runs and stole 73 bases. He collected 217 hits with a .337 batting average and scored 149 runs. It was one of the most productive seasons for an individual in baseball history.
Nevertheless, in 2024, Ronald was reminded of his limitations when he tore another anterior cruciate ligament in his knee (after tearing the other knee in 2021).
It’s OK to admire star athletes and cheer them on, but we must be careful not to make them gods. Even the best among us have limitations and weaknesses. The Bible provides many examples of flawed men and women, reminds us often to avoid worshipping people, and tells us to never forget that Christ is the only One who lived a perfect life.
Abraham lived long ago and we look up to him because he obediently left his homeland to follow God, receiving a promise that covered the generations after him. But even Jesus existed long before Abraham was born. In fact, Jesus has always existed. “‘Very truly I tell you,’ Jesus answered, ‘before Abraham was born, I am!'” (John 8:58).
Jesus spoke about the various Old Testament prophets serving the Lord with courage, and God changed many lives for the better through their ministry. Many of the prophets gave a preview of Christ long before He came to earth. For example, Jonah was in the belly of the whale for three days and then came out alive on the shore, much like Christ walked out of the tomb alive after his death. “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:40). Jesus went on to say that “they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here” (v. 41).
Then Jesus spoke about being greater than King Solomon. In his day, Solomon was by far the wisest and wealthiest man alive. People came from far away to visit him and see his greatness. In so doing, a foreign queen became a believer in the true God after hearing Solomon speak. In so many words, Jesus would say it was sad that people choose to reject Christ when he is even greater than Solomon and only wants to bless us. “The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here” (v. 42).
Respecting and admiring others for their greatness is natural, and can be healthy within parameters. But only One is worthy of our worship, so be careful to not let your admiration of others turn to anything more than that.
— Bill Kent, Pastor of Memorial Baptist Church, Sylvania, Georgia
>> Do you know Christ personally? Learn how you can commit your life to Him <<
>> Purchase “The Increase 52 Week Devotional” to further grow your relationship with Christ <<
>> Dive more into God’s Word with Sports Spectrum through the YouVersion Bible App <<
If you would like to submit a devotional, please email all submissions to
devotionals@sportsspectrum.com
