The recent hubbub over a Christian girls school forfeiting a basketball game and firing their coach following a 100-0 blowout begged the question: Was their conduct “unChristian?” Should Christians apologize for winning, for putting forth their best effort?
Watch the story below and see what I believe is a perfect example of how Christians can approach competition.
Winning isn’t wrong. But winning isn’t everything:
In the case of the Covenant School’s girls basketball game, I personally feel that Christians should at the least be expected to follow the generally accepted rules of good sportsmanship, which include not running up the score. As the story unfolded, there was some debate over whether that is what actually happened.
Beyond good sportsmanship, I believe Christians would do well to remember Philippians 2:3-4:
Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
We can live by that verse and still pour our guts out on the field of competition. As in the now immortal words of Covenant School Headmaster Kyle Queal: “A victory without honor is a great loss.”
Filed under: Thoughts | Tagged: Christianity, feel good, football, sports, video |
Not Yet Arrived 
I can’t get the video to load — seems to be delayed from whence it is served (or maybe too many users are watching it on your blog right now!) Anyway, I think I know the story. Football team from juvenile detention center plays Christian high school team, gets own cheerleading section and fans courtesy of the opposing team. I heard about it a while back (obviously during football season). It is a great story and a real tearjerker at that. When having a conversation w/ my wife (I call her my wife for your non-family subscribers, but you know her by name) about the covenant 100-0 blowout, this story came up as a comparison. I actually used it in a defensive argument than Christians can play hard, win, and not be immoral or unchristian. This story is especially inspiring though, because the fans got into the spirit of good sportsmanship as well, by cheering for the other team (even by individual players’ names). Who knows how that game will positively affect the lives of those students forever, even though they lost the game.