I love sports. Always have and always will. They are a huge part of my life. I love to play, but I also love to watch professionals. One thing I’m always intrigued about is how athletes bring their faith into their sport. Some wear t shirts with biblical sayings underneath their uniform. Others may pray with other Christian athletes at mid-field after the game. And others choose a more unconventional route.
A few weeks ago, I was watching the end of the Broncos-Ravens game and caught Ray Lewis’ post game speech. If you didn’t catch it, here it is:
“No weapon formed shall prosper. No Weapon…no weapons…no weapon, God is amazin,’ and when you believe in Him…Man believes in the possible, God believes in the impossible.”
This is a loose paraphrase of Isaiah 54:17. And when I say loose, I mean loose. When I heard Ray say this, I busted out laughing (no lie). I couldn’t contain myself. “No weapon formed shall prosper?” So, in that instance was the “weapon” Peyton Mannings arm?
I think that there is a great misinterpretation of how God views us. Does God care about every person? Yes. Does it break His heart when you are sad? Yes. Do the heavens rejoice alongside you when you are happy? Sure. Does God care about who wins or loses a football game? Doubtful. Does God love Ray Lewis more than, say, Peyton Manning because the Ravens won the game? No. Did the Ravens win because Ray’s faith is stronger than another player on the Broncos? No.
Most of the media focused on the fact that Ray Lewis wore a shirt that said “Psalm 91” as he took a lap around the field that day, but most of the media dropped the ball on the Isaiah mis-quote. Psalm 91 is a great Psalm:
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you make the Most High your dwelling—even the Lord, who is my refuge—then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.”
Psalm 91
Athletes and how they express their faith has always been an intriguing topic for me. It has always been an interesting mix where the Bible is misquoted and “God’s love and power” is invoked and the cause of a victory. What are your thoughts on the subject of athletes and their faith? Do you think that athletes quoting scripture (wether correctly or incorrectly) helps or hurts other Christians?
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