In a particular high school basketball game, I was playing badly. Not only that, but my attitude was so poor, my coach pulled me out early and benched me the rest of the game. I sat on the end of the bench, distant and silent, wondering what the people in the stands thought of me.

I wanted to hide, and I began to say bad things to myself about myself. I felt shame.

Shame causes us to hide, to isolate and think we are less than beloved. Shame can distract us from our relationship with our Father who is pleased with us. It causes us to avoid meaningful connections with others.

Shame can thwart God’s good purposes. But sports have inherent benefits that can thwart shame.

When you are on a team, it’s hard to hide and isolate yourself. When everyone is eating the same sack lunches and riding in the same van, you sense you are part of something.

Sports can:

• Exercise our minds and bodies in unison, making us feel alive
• Supply life-giving relationships
• Help us experience teamwork, love and acceptance
• Teach patience, self-control and faithfulness
• Provide connectedness, community and laughter -- assuming it’s a healthy environment
• Provide friends to share your ups and downs as you share in theirs
• Bring healing and wholeness where there are wounds
• Require perseverance which will serve you well in the future.

If evil could do away with three activities, sports might be one of them. We can see why. Sports, in a healthy environment, can bring God’s kingdom down and counter the work of shame and sin.

Sports can help you sense your worth and feel your belovedness.

Athlete, you are blessed to be athletic enough to play sports. You get to enjoy the inherent goodness that springs from them.

Action: Pick two bullet points you have benefited from, and thank God for them.