Chapter 4 - Game Day Priorities

Like chapter 3, the 4th chapter of Game Day for the Glory of God by Stephen Altrogge answers an important question. "We must answer the question, what does God care about when I'm on the playing field?" The answer to that question comes in the form of five priorities:

1. The Priority of Humility
Altrogge makes the point that the humble athlete recognizes God as the source of all athletic ability, encourages others, is team-oriented rather than me-oriented, and refuses to argue with the referees. (ouch! - I'm pretty sure most referees need a good eye exam.)

2. The Priority of Passion
"So let us play sports with all the passion that we can summon, not for our own glory and honor, but for the honor of Jesus. Let us remember for whom we're truly playing, and let's play in a way that will bring him pleasure." (pg. 57)

3. The Priority of Self-Control
As a former coach, I often reminded my players that sports not only develop character; sports reveal character. It's amazing how otherwise civil people can lose their minds over a game! More often than I would like to admit, I've been right there with them.

4. The Priority of Trust
"If you're a Christian, you can be absolutely confident that God is working everything in your life together for your good and his glory." (pg. 64)

5. The Priority of Dependence
"The truth is we are not independent. We are weak, frail creatures who quickly fall apart. We desperately need God to provide us with both spiritual and physical strength." (pg. 66)

To wrap up chapter four, Altrogge makes this observation: "Sports provide us with an opportunity to purify ourselves. When we grow in humility, passion, self-control, trust, and dependence, we become more like Jesus Christ." I like that. More like Jesus.