If there’s anything Christians love more than Jesus (there shouldn’t be… but I’m just saying, hypothetically speaking) it’s the Christian athlete – for better or for worse. We get giddy over the Christian athlete because we love sports and its (unwarranted) parallels to divine happenings and occurrences:
“I DON’T BELIEVE WHAT I JUST SAW!” – Jack Buck stole this one from Peter after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.”
“DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES?!?! YES!! – Al Michaels would like to thank both Mary’s and Easter Sunday.
“HAVLICEK STOLE THE BALL!” – And we all know that Celtics’ announcer Johnny Most got this one from Moses when he split the sea... (It's in Deuteronomy)
We also get excited about Christian athletes because we (especially men) have prayed such a prayer at least once during our lives:
“Dear God, I know I may only be a blocker for this intramural football game, and I know we’re playing in the D bracket, but if this could be my big break I PROMISE you I will share the gospel when I give my Super Bowl MVP speech.”
When we find out an athlete’s a Christian we go bananas. Take Jeremy Lin for example…
[Husband runs into the bedroom where wife is sleeping]
BILL: MARTHA WAKE UP THE KIDS NOW!
Martha: AAAH! WHAT!?!
Bill: HE’S A CHRISTIAN!
Martha: Who? Your boss? Did someone in our connection group become a believer?
Bill: NO!! JEREMY LIN! HE’S A CHRISTIAN! A REAL ONE!
Martha: Who is he?
Bill: HE PLAYS BASKETBALL! IN THE NBA! A REAL CHRISTIAN!
Martha: OH! HOLY MOTHER OF MARY WE GOT TO WAKE UP THE KIDS!
BILL: WAKE THEM UP WOMAN! HURRY!
[They run into their children’s room]
Bill and Martha: TIMMY! SUSIE! WAKE UP!
Timmy: AAAH! DID GRANDMA DIE?
Bill: EVEN BETTER!
Susie: Grandpa?
Martha: THERE’S A CHRISTIAN IN THE NBA!
Timmy: A REAL ONE?!?!
Bill: HE THANKED GOD! AFTER THE GAME HE THANKED GOD, I HEARD IT!
Timmy: OH JEEPERS, LET ME GET GO LIGHT UP THE TABERNACLE!
Susie: I’LL TEXT ALL MY FRIENDS!
Martha: I’LL START PRAYING RIGHT NOW!
Bill: AND HE’S CHINESE!*
Martha: AN INTERNATIONAL!
Timmy: PRAISE GOD FOR THE NATIONS!!
Susie: JOHN THREE SIXTEEN!!!
*He's American...
I just want to stay ahead of a potential dangerous trend. We Christians are quite loyal to these athletic saints, ironically thrusting them into the national limelight. You know how many Twitter followers Jeremy Lin had three weeks ago? Five. (Give or take). You know how many he has now? 476,965 and counting.
At some point mediocre and semi-famous athletes are going to cash-in, and really famous athletes will realize that even despite their successful “brand” the one demographic that will put them over the top is reppin’ JC. It’s only a matter of time before the John Piper-Lebron James video: The Reformation Pick-And-Roll, goes viral.
With the superstardom of Lin and Tebow, who knows who will be next? (Sorry Josh Hamilton…)_ But be wary of the wolf in sheep’s clothing.
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?” – Matthew 7:15-6
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