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For the majority of my life, I was under the impression that it was possible to give your all to sports and simultaneously give your all to God. If I’m being honest, I used God as the “good luck charm” on my own personal ambitious endeavors.
After establishing relationships with multiple NFL teams, coaches, and players, I was sure that this was where God wanted me to thrive -- not taking into account that this was also something that I had personally wanted to do my entire life. You know the saying, “Pinch me, I feel like I’m dreaming?” — Well, recently, I was woken up from this dream.
About a year ago, I flew to New York with hopes of joining the Buffalo Bills. I was ready to brace the cold weather and put my body and health on the line for my dreams. With my heart pumping, I walked into a hotel downtown to meet with a coach. I wasn't sure what to expect, but my plan was to convince him that I was willing to do anything for the potential opportunity in front of me.
After several minutes of discussing football, the playbook, and personal things in the locker room, the conversation took a drastic turn to faith. Coach Adam asked me a very important question — What was my goal for implementing Christ into the organization? I gave him the standard Christian-101 response: “To show my faith and also win football games.”
To my surprise, his response was, “There won’t be much of an opportunity for you to express your faith here. This is a very tough business that consists of waking up early some days and not getting home till late at night.” He told me I would need to learn a playbook that was actually the same size as my Bible.
He looked at me with the most serious face I had ever seen and said, “If you want to play for this team, it might cost you your faith. If I'm being honest, the amount of time I've spent in the business has cost me mine."
After several weeks of thinking about our conversation, a question lingered in my mind. Did Jesus Christ die for me to simply wear a T-shirt and post a status about Him online after a game?
Isn't it bizzare that we think we can devote our lives to a career and simply give Jesus, Himself, what's left over and be convinced that He's satisfied? How can we say we love God without taking away everything that might distract us from our devotion to Him? Wouldn't your spouse expect you to leave anything that gets in the way of you and them? Why would God expect anything less?
"29 If your right eye makes you stumble and leads you to sin, tear it out and throw it away [that is, remove yourself from the source of temptation]; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell." - Matthew 5:29 AMP
I don’t think anyone would disagree that playing in the NFL will cost you everything: Your time, your talent, relationships, and even sometimes your health. Thus, a thought comes to mind — Why do we believe that Jesus doesn't require this same level of commitment for eternity?
"33 So then, any of you who does not forsake (renounce, surrender claim to, give up, say good-bye to) all that he has cannot be My disciple." - Luke 14:33 AMPC
I was convicted for months because I realized that I had my own life and that my relationship with God was more of a hobby. I was willing to endure the cold while being away from family for my own personal success, but the people who are actually in Heaven according to the bible gave this type of devotion and commitment to God, Himself. What I’m realizing is that in order to follow Jesus, it actually requires more dedication, discipline, and consistency than playing professional sports.
"25 Now every athlete who goes into training conducts himself temperately and restricts himself in all things. They do it to win a wreath that will soon wither, but we [do it to receive a crown of eternal blessedness] that cannot wither. 26 Therefore I do not run uncertainly (without definite aim). I do not box like one beating the air and striking without an adversary. 27 But [like a boxer] I buffet my body [handle it roughly, discipline it by hardships] and subdue it, for fear that after proclaiming to others the Gospel and things pertaining to it, I myself should become unfit [not stand the test, be unapproved and rejected as a counterfeit]." - 1 Corinthians 9:25 AMPC
If we are being honest, it is impossible to serve God with all of your heart and to also simultaneously have a career that has nothing to do with Him. If anyone disagrees with this statement, my question for them would be — Does God respond back when you pray?
"31 We know that God does not listen to sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and a worshiper of Him and does His will, He listens to him." - John 9:31 AMPC
The truth is, Jesus didn’t die a horrific death for us to live a comfortable life, only inserting Him into it at our latest convenience. We have all been bought for a price through Jesus and if we don’t offer ourselves completely up to Him, we are making the price He paid for us worthless.
"20 You were bought with a price [purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own]. So then, honor God and bring glory to Him in your body." -1 Corinthians 6:20 AMPC
The reality is, there were actually three people in the meeting in New York — myself, Jesus, and Coach Adam -- and it turns out that Jesus required the same devotion and commitment. However, instead of a huge salary and a couple concussions, He was offering eternal salvation and a real relationship with the Creator of the Universe .
"23 And He said to all, If any person wills to come after Me, let him deny himself [disown himself, forget, lose sight of himself and his own interests, refuse and give up himself] and take up his cross daily and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also]. 24 For whoever would preserve his life and save it will lose and destroy it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he will preserve and save it [from the penalty of eternal death]." - Luke 9:23-24 AMPC
The truth is, if I had told the Buffalo Bills that I didn’t want to dedicate all of my time for the next couple of years playing for them, they would simply move on because, with or without me, they were still a billion-dollar organization. We must understand that Jesus deserves everything in our lives and without submitting everything, we are only fooling ourselves.
"59 And He said to another, Become My disciple, side with My party, and accompany Me! But he replied, Lord, permit me first to go and bury (await the death of) my father. 60 But Jesus said to him, Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and publish abroad throughout all regions the kingdom of God. 61 Another also said, I will follow You, Lord, and become Your disciple and side with Your party; but let me first say good-bye to those at my home. 62 Jesus said to him, No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back [to the things behind] is fit for the kingdom of God." - Luke 9:59-62 AMPC
Question of the Day: Do you think it's odd that Jesus, Himself, came down to do only God's business, but today we expect God, the Creator of the Universe, to help us with ours?
"49 And He said to them, How is it that you had to look for Me? Did you not see and know that it is necessary [as a duty] for Me to be in My Father’s house and [occupied] about My Father’s business?" - Luke 2:49 AMPC