Why the Warrior?

--A Christian father’s perspective on defining the spiritual value and purpose of youth sports for young men--

The LORD is a warrior; the LORD is his name. --Exodus 15:3

When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, “The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.”--Judges 6:12

“You're men, ain't you?” --Bluebonnet "Boss" Spearman, Open Range 

"…and if I can go that distance, you see, and that bell rings and I'm still standin', I'm gonna know for the first time in my life, see, that I weren't just another bum from the neighborhood.” --Rocky Balboa, Rocky

 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. --Ephesians 6:3

 Is it good for boys to play organized sports, and is it appropriate for Christian men to desire to put their sons into youth sports programs?

 Answering the question for the Father: For many men in our day, there is something that digs deep into the heart, impressing upon us the value and necessity of athletic endeavors beyond the superficial trophies, bragging rights, scores and statistics. Inside the heart there seems to be a voice or notion; expressed as an instinctive enthusiasm in the heart of a boy, which presents later on in life as a fatherly impulse for guiding his son. It tells us that, “the boy must become a man”; and that becoming a man requires testing, a rite of passage, a proving ground.

I believe this is why some Christian men will seek to put their boys into sports programs that do not have a particularly Christian focus. There is an understanding that more fatherly Christian mentoring may be necessary, but that the boy must have a testing ground none the less. These situations should be constantly covered in prayer with an encouragement for the son to look for opportunities to be an ambassador for Christ to his team.

Looking through the framework of Gods word, I believe there is also a spiritual connection that can be drawn between the character of God and man in this case. This in turn can be expressed through our participation in sporting ventures. Just as God has created imagery throughout history in the affairs of men to reflect and reveal his glory; we, being created in His image, find value and satisfaction in creating similar imagery. These images are of the timeless stories of life, and within our simple earthly means we attempt to reflect the glory of the Father through venues such as ceremonies, parades, the arts and athletics.

For men of God, one of our chief passions is to distinguish ourselves and our sons in ways that reveal the character of God in us. This passion for expression is defined by a calling on our lives to become ambassadors, prophets, kings, servants, and yes, warriors. Although we may not carry these titles in our everyday occupations, we wear them on our souls. I would suggest that, just as we find value in the image of baptism reflecting the deeper work of God in our lives through Christ, we are in a similar way hard wired to create other tangible expressions of life that have a spiritual meaning.

In other words,

--WE LIKE TO IMMITATE WHAT OUR HEAVENLY FATHER DOES--

Many men will confess that such endeavors have drawn them closer to God. The movie Chariots of Fire comes to mind. My challenge to fathers is this:

I believe there is a more excellent way. 

Answering the question for the boy: For the boy, I believe there is a spiritual question, that for the most part, only men have the capacity to help him find the answer.

The heart of every boy asks this fundamental question:

“Do I have what it takes?”

It is my conviction that this question, if not answered properly, will leave the deeper roots of manhood in a boy untapped, undeveloped or perverted. In turn, this can leave the future family with no anchor for the storms of life. A boy does not just become a man, he is taught how to be one, and the tests that follow the teaching are not written.

--THE BOY MUST BE TESTED--

We can use the grid iron, the court, and the field to help answer this question, and in the process, help a boy to find in himself, among other things:

-A God given manly strength of character to stand in the face of adversity with his team, and alone if necessary.

-A God given manly strength of voice that will shout out when others are downcast or cowering in silence: “here I am LORD, send me!”, “I have not yet begun to fight!”, and “keep your hands off of her or you will deal with me!”

Side Note:

Every boy does not need to participate in organized sports to help him become a man, but I believe every boy can benefit from them with the right coaching.

When the will is strong and the team is strong, the scoreboard will take care of itself.

 A more excellent way: I am convinced that if we are willing to step away from some of the extraneous glories of the established sporting systems, with a little extra effort,

 and Gods help, we can provide better quality sports programs for our boys.  In the company of godly men of character, we can meet the core needs of our young men through

the development of particularly Christian programs. If we fail to develop top athletes but succeed in developing strong godly men, we have still succeeded.

If we succeed in developing top athletes but fail to produce in them strong godly character, we will have failed miserably. If we succeed at both, all the better.

A word of caution: When considering youth sports, we must not undervalue or overvalue them. Youth sports have their place in the overall training up of a boy to become a man. They can however, become idols with too much emphasis, or become perverted into training venues for ungodly values. Once we find ourselves praising the athlete or the team above God, or if the goal becomes to win at all costs, we have chosen a wrong path.

In Conclusion: Considering the above assertion, I believe that it is valid for men of God to put their boys in sports programs for the primary purpose of training them up to become strong godly men. Additionally, I believe that if we seek to create sports venues grounded on Christian teaching, we will see a greater product of godly character in our sons, which will result in the development of better men, to the glory of God.

Prayerfully written by: Coach Jack Springer