"Football is not a matter of life and death, it is more important than that."
In all things
So that in all things God may be praised. 1 Peter 4:11What is your life’s motto? Peter’s seems to be “that in all things God may be praised”. Peter is writing here about Christian ministry. The full sentence is “If anyone serves, they should do it with the strength God provides, that in all things God may be praised”.
While Peter is writing about Christian ministry, I would suggest that the principle has wider application. Service is a very Christian word. We talk about servant leadership. Paul wrote about Jesus “taking the very nature of a servant”. (Philippians 2:7).
I have used this illustration before and it still makes a big impression on me. I once went on tour with a semi-professional football team. One of our players, now past his best, had once scored three goals in a Premier League match. When the game was over everyone threw their shirts on the floor and one player picked them all up and put them in the bag. The most high-profile player took the nature of a servant.
In our Christian service and in out sporting lives let us be ready to be servants. Let all our actions be motivated by a desire that in all things God may be praised.