If you happen to be a basketball fan, you’ve probably watched or played a lot of basketball the last three or four months and enjoyed every minute of it! Starting with the national treasure called “March Madness” that causes work productivity to go down because everyone is trying to follow their teams, to the jaw dropping athletes of the NBA and WNBA playing in many super intense basketball chess matches. Basketball has become a favorite national past time here in America as well as internationally.
Basketball is one of the most demanding sports out there. To get really good at it, just like any other discipline, it takes an all encompassing, whole hearted effort. It takes all that, and then some, to master the subtle intricacies of the game, that challenges both mind and body. Basketball, a game that has delighted millions of people over this past century has become the hallmark of good sportsmanship and the epitome of teamwork.
There are many reasons why basketball, and sports in general, are so important. One of the reasons that sports are so popular among men in particular, is how sports taps into a man’s God given desire to protect one’s family and community. Playing sports for men is just like two young lions wrestling while their parents look on approvingly. The play wrestling and biting prepares theses two young cubs for when they will have to fight and hunt for real. Likewise, sports can prepare men to be that protector and provider for his family as well as society.
The competitive nature in men(as well as women) brings out the best in both opponents. As the bible says:
Proverbs 27:17*
Iron sharpens iron,
and one man sharpens another.
Controlled sports can help develop quick thinking, agility, and strength in a man that can easily transfer to the battlefield as well as protecting one’s home. Although severe injuries sometimes happen, controlled sports can safely simulate some of the emotions and circumstances that can arise in battle.
Secondly, there’s teamwork! There is nothing more exhilarating than accurately assessing an individual’s strengths and weaknesses, taking these individuals and forming a formidable team, fighting as one, with one goal in mind. Sports teach the value of what it is to work together with others to obtain a common goal. God makes it clear in His word how much He loves team work!
Amos 3:3
Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?
Matthew 12:25
A house divided against itself shall not stand”.
Deuteronomy 32:30
One can chase a thousand, and two can put ten thousand to flight.”
Probably the most important benefit of playing basketball and sports is the development of discipline.
Since discipline and disciple both have the same root word, and Jesus commands the church to go and make disciples, it’s vital that the followers of Christ learn discipline! Here’s the definition of discipline:
1
: to punish or penalize for the sake of enforcing obedience and perfecting moral character
lowest prices for sildenafil Try and keep calm and avoid stress and depression. This is the biggest threat as buying cialis cheap the entire problem occurs only due to this. Acidic changes lead to premature activation of the pancreatic digestive enzymes. tadalafil tablets 20mg Assorted drugs are presented to target the afflictions of impotence. viagra sample online is most likely the most universally known drug to battle impotence. cialis is taken by mouth or applied to the skin (patch), certain drug used for varicose vein treatment (sodium tetradecyl sulfate), drugs that affect your immune response (e.g., corticosteroids such as prednisone). 2
: to train or develop by instruction and exercise especially in self-control
3
a : to bring (a group) under control <discipline troops>
b : to impose order upon <serious writers discipline and refine their writing styles>
World class athletes have world class discipline. To get a taste of their world, here is a complaint from track star, Lolo Jones, who struggled in the Olympics and was being criticized by some in the media that said her stardom has more to do with marketing instead of her accomplishments on the track. “I think it was crazy just because it was two days before I competed, and then the fact that it was from a U.S. media (outlet),” Jones said. “They should be supporting our U.S. Olympic athletes, and instead they just ripped me to shreds. I thought that was crazy because I work six days a week, every day, for four years for a 12-second race.” ESPN.com news services
She works six days a week, everyday, for a race that only comes once every four years. Sure, she may run other smaller races during those four years, but only to prepare for THE race. A race that will last a total of all but twelve seconds. A race that has the added pressure of the whole world looking on. It takes an incredibly disciplined athlete like Lolo to partake in the Olympics.
World class athletes are some of the most disciplined and exalted people on the planet and yet, what does the bible say about all this.
1 Timothy 4:7-10
7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; 8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 9 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. 10 For to this end we toil and strive,[b] because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.
Paul as led by the Spirit makes it clear that despite all the wonderful benefits of physical training. it is of just SOME value. Of all the things that people do and partake that has hardly none or little value, for the word of God to say that it has some value, then physical training is important. Playing and training for basketball is important, and yet, what is of more importance, this life or the life to come? I would say the life to come, at that point you have stepped into eternity. The bible goes one further and says that Godliness is of value in every way for THIS life AND the life to come!
Has God called us all to physical training? For those who are able, I would say yes! The medical profession has a list that goes on and on about the benefits of physical training. We may not all be world class athletes, but we all can train for something. The following scriptures expound on us taking care of our bodies.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
1 Corinthians 9:27
But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
In conclusion, when an athlete takes the training he or she has learned from sports, and applies that discipline to becoming Godly– Look Out! They are on their way to becoming powerful Christians in the hands of an all powerful God.
Many of us are not athletes, what are we to do? Our flesh holds us back and doesn’t want to train. Let the weak Christian say I’m strong, Why?– because their help isn’t weak but all powerful. Their help comes from above. Being faithful in prayer is the key, for our Lord can give you motivation when you don’t have any. He can help you with your discipline. For our Lord put that undisciplined flesh to death on the cross, Halleluiah! By faith He made a way for us. We can now proclaim that Jesus put that undisciplined flesh to death and gave us a New Man! We can call upon Him until we know that the Spirit is leading us and we are clothed in the New with “self control“, one of the fruits of the Spirit. Praise God Saints, we have the victory!
1 Corinthians 9:21
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.
* All scriptures are quoted from the ESV bible