Sports: Humility vs. Pride
messageofhope | Reflection | Thursday September 2 2010Integrating Faith and Sports
Gospel: Lk 14:1,7-14
Week of 8/29/10
Brett Illig
Founder/Director
The Message of Hope Foundation
On a sabbath Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the people there were observing him carefully. He told a parable to those who had been invited, noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table. “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not recline at table in the place of honor. A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him, and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then you would proceed with embarrassment to take the lowest place. Rather, when you are invited, go and take the lowest place so that when the host comes to you he may say, ‘My friend, move up to a higher position.’ Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table. For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Then he said to the host who invited him, “When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” Lk 14:1 , 7-14
Sports: Humility vs. Pride
On a crisp March morning in Dodgertown in Vero Beach, FL with the sun glistening off of the morning dew on field #2, I can remember listening to one of the most motivational coaches in the history of the game. I was 18 years old and experiencing my first spring training as a professional baseball player. Yet at this time I was emotionally, spiritually, and physically empty from an experience that had changed my life a few months earlier. The experience of losing a childhood friend a couple of months earlier made me question my own very existence and the importance of life. Including the importance of sitting where I was now sitting, in a Dodger uniform.
Before my friend’s death, these motivational words would have had me pumped up and ready to “compete” in a way of seeking and destroying. These sort of mantra’s and locker room speeches have always riled me up because it would hit the core of my need for power and dominance, sports being the avenue to achieve it.
Sitting in the stands of field #2, these same words, were now falling on an empty and dull soul. A soul that was not reacting at all from these words. And now, beginning to even reject them. This in a nutshell was the story of my 8 year professional career. A story that was being played out in my soul that had its two main characters, pride and humility, doing battle with themselves for athletic achievement. This inner confusion and I would say messy conversion that still rages on in me today, certainly had its affects on me on many levels. Yet it isn’t until today that I can begin to put words to the feelings that I had in the uniform on that particular day.
Losing Myself to Find Myself?
One of the main themes of the motivational talk that we were receiving on that day was that “you have to believe that you can make it.” “You have to believe that you are the best, just don’t tell anyone about it. You have to believe in yourself!!!!” As I sat there I was finding myself thinking how I can believe in myself when I don’t know “who I am?” I had built my identity and worth into becoming and being an athlete and through my friend’s death, that illusion of me died as well. So I sat confused and empty.
It wasn’t until a slow reawakening of my soul through the recognition of what had transpired during my baptism that I began to find my true self in Him. St Augustine writes that, “Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in thee…” The feeling of selfish pride in order to achieve greatness on the athletic fields was making my heart very restless to the truth of finding my greatness in Christ.
Humility: Knowing your Role
Knowing your role I think is an extension of humility. Humility is not wanting to get the big hit or win the game on the big shot for fear of winning or accomplishments, rather it is wanting to be in that position understanding our role as faithful servants to God’s talents. As a friend says, we are in sales, not management in this God business. So believing in myself, as my coach said on that day, is to say I am to believe in the gifts God has given me, and I am called to be His servant. This context, understanding this role, might have changed my career. Yet understanding it today, may be a much greater grace.
I once heard from a friend who was in AA that they often refer to humility as not thinking less of yourself, rather thinking about yourself less. In other words, the world does not revolve around me, but that in and through Christ, it is both the I and we, (Our). So in Christ, we play for the name on the front of the jersey, our coaches and opponents, and for the name on the back of the jersey as well. “You Shall Love your neighbor as yourself.” Mark 12:31
Christ being the source and summit, and the one who gives us balance between the security of our true identities and humility in our roles.
Contemplation of the story of Christ
I have found one of my favorite spiritual exercises to do, when I feel myself on the verge of some very prideful thoughts and or actions is to begin to contemplate the highlights of Christ’s life. The King of Kings, the Prince of Peace, the Son of Man, born into this world in a very humble atmosphere, was threatened all of His life, hung out with some questionable characters at best, rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, and voluntarily was crucified for me?!?
As we begin this new season of sports, let us contemplate the death of Christ. Let us contemplate His actions for us, so we may be centered and reminded of our true identities, not on what goes on in the fields, yet what went on, on the cross. Here we may begin to feel comfortable and humble in our roles, on the fields, in the stands, and on the sidelines.
