Jesus as Good Luck Charm

The batter steps into the box with one foot, pulls the crucifix from within his jersey, presses it to his lips and then prepares to hit. The running back takes a knee on the sideline, removes his helmet and bows his head. He silently prays for God’s help in securing a win and then makes the sign of the cross at his chest. The sport chaplain paces the sideline with his lucky Bible securely nestled in his beltline asking God for a victory and a championship, oh yeah, so the Lord would be glorified and so on.

 

Each of these situations stand right on the edge, if not slightly over the edge, of treating Jesus as a good luck charm. I have personally witnessed these and more like them. I have found the same occasionally in my own heart and have been convicted of my own foolishness. The men and women of sport are certainly prone to superstitions and we who serve Christ in sport are not immune to the culture’s bent.

 

Let’s consider more expressions of “religion” in sport which can either be genuine devotion or may be superstition. Some may be both.

• Kissing one’s cross or crucifix necklace prior to a sport activity, like a plate appearance in baseball

• Saying the Lord’s prayer prior to games

• Carrying a Bible on the sideline

• Praying a particular prayer or uttering a “can’t fail” prayer cliché on the pitch

• Writing scripture references or entire verses on one’s shoes, wrist bands, eye black, tape or even in tattoos

• Pointing to the sky in celebration of a big play

• Attending pre-game chapel

• Asking the team chaplain to pray with me prior to a big game

• Wearing a WWJD bracelet

• Wearing one’s “lucky tee shirt” from a Christian sport camp under his team jersey or kit

• The list could go on for a good while…

 

The principle to consider is at what point does ritual overtake relationship? When does one substitute device over devotion? We must be mindful of the propensity of the human heart to seek advantage over one’s opponent and to use whatever means are necessary to win. Be careful to not let sincere expressions of faith and trust in Christ Jesus become perverted and reduced to mindless ritual or foolish superstition.

 

I really don’t think the Lord cares one way or another about who wins any particular sport contest. I do, however, sincerely believe that it very much matters to Him how we compete and how we express our devotion to Him by how we apply our faith in Christ in the sporting world. Let’s not reduce Jesus to being a good luck charm. Rather, let’s honor Him as the Lord God of creation and experience his life, love, presence and pleasure as we reflect His nature in sport.