"It matters a great deal who is going to win, but not at all who won"

Willie John McBride, Irish Rugby player

Psalm 36

There is no fear of God before their eyes. In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to detect or hate their sin. Psalm 36:1-2

The Psalmist makes a simple point: when people think too much of themselves, they lose the ability to recognize sin. Pride is everywhere in human existence but perhaps as sportspeople we are more susceptible than others. We live in a performance driven environment. We need to believe in ourselves. We walk a tightrope between having the required self-confidence and becoming proud. The writer moves on from man to the character of God:

Your love, LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep. Psalm 36:5,6

In 25 words we have four of the great characteristics of God: love, faithfulness, righteousness and justice. The suggestion is that the best way to get rid of sin is to focus on God’s characteristics. Recognizing who God is will give lead us to a healthy fear of God. Fear in the sense of respect, recognition of our place before him – rather than fear in the sense of being scared.

Go into your world of sport today with the fear of God in your heart and with a realistic and humble assessment of yourself.

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