Photo: Enigma Sport

"Football is not a matter of life and death, it is more important than that."

Bill Shankly, Liverpool Football manager

As working for the Lord

Some people describe this as having “an audience of one”, the idea that our focus as we compete is to be on God. We are not running (playing) for ourselves as much as for Jesus.

If you take your sport seriously, inevitably a great deal of your identity as a person is in your sport – why else would you put so many hours into training?

But don’t misunderstand Paul here. He is not saying that sport (or whatever you do) is unimportant – and only “religious” things matter. Quite the contrary!

Paul is saying that whatever you do (and for you that probably involves training and competition), you are to do it for the Lord. Did you get that, because you are a Christian, sport – competition and training – are more important, not less.

Did you think you just had to train enough to satisfy the coach? Wrong! You are training not just for yourself or for the coach but for Jesus!

I find the way the South African swimmer Penny Heyns puts it very helpful: 'I love the sense of satisfaction that I get when I've done a swimming workout or race, and know that I gave my whole being and heart to God in every moment of the swim. It's the best worship I can offer him.'

So get out there and “work at it with all your heart” for Jesus.

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