How to Share Your Faith Using Football Season and Two-A-Days
Football season is upon us! And whether your interest falls toward NFL football viewing, supporting your own school's team, or watching the drama on MTV's football series, Two-A-Days, football can be a frequent topic of conversation this time of year.
Football, like any team sport, is a grueling, demanding commitment. Playing the sport and being part of team can bring both pressure and glory! Two-A-Days, MTV's series offered viewers a glimpse into the high school jock experience. (The title Two-A-Days refers to the grueling twice a day workouts.) But as you balance competing demands from coaches, parents, teammates and friends, it can be a juggling act trying to handle the pressures of teen life today.
Every teen has to decide what's important in life and your schedule will reflect what you value. How do you decided what's important? How do you sort out pleasing everyone around you, while remaining true to your own values, hopes and dreams? Big questions! Ones every teen wrestles with. God calls you to be the best you can be and use the gifts and talents He has given you for His glory. And that takes discipline and commitment - the same kind of 110% it takes to be successful in a team sport.
The Bible advises us in Gal 6:4,
"Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don't be impressed with yourself. Don't compare yourself with others."
Clearly, not everyone is going to be a player on a state championship football team, but are you giving your all when it comes to your own mix of gifts and talents? Are you dreaming big and unleashing your talents in order to further God's kingdom and bringing glory to Him. 2 Tim 2:15 says,
"Concentrate on doing your best for God, work you won't be ashamed of, laying out the truth plain and simple."
Dedicate yourself with enthusiasm, commitment and discipline to giving Him your best!
So in the midst of the fall football season, you may find yourself in conversations with friends about your own school's football team, NFL games, or MTV's Two-A-Days. Use the opportunity to pull God into the mix. Try asking your friends some of these questions:
- How do you determine your priorities in life? What shapes your values? Which inputs do you think you're listening to most closely - the media, friends, parents, coaches...? Ask your friends if God enters their equation in determining their values and priorities.
- Do you think putting in the effort it takes to develop your gifts and talents to be the best you can be is worth it? Why or why not?
- After you listen to your friends, share what shapes your values. Talk about how prayer and the Bible influence your choices and values. Consider inviting your unreached friends to join you for youth group some week, so they can experience first-hand some of the ways you allow Jesus to impact your life.
Enthusiasm, commitment, focus and discipline are all pieces of the winning formula for being the best you can be. Are you willing to put out the same level of effort demanded of athletes, in order to be all God's calling you to? And are you letting your friends see that passion and commitment in your life?
