"It matters a great deal who is going to win, but not at all who won"
We speak the language
He then said to me: "Son of man, go now to the house of Israel and speak my words to them. You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and difficult language, but to the house of Israel. Ezekiel 3:4, 5
Every time I read these words in Ezekiel they confirm my mission in life! There are many sub-cultures within society - like music, politics, business - where I feel ill at ease, unable to feel part of it. Indeed they might as well be speaking a foreign language.
But give me a sportsperson, and I feel at home. I know the culture. I know the language. I have been a player, now I am an administrator of a local football league. For me sportspeople do not have an "obscure speech and difficult language". I understand the importance of winning and losing, the highs and the lows. I understand the importance of today's game!
To represent Christ in a place where I love to be is not difficult. I feel comfortable there. That doesn't make it any easier to live with integrity, by Christ's standards
Later in the chapter God tells Ezekiel "I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel...and I will hold you accountable" Ezekiel 3:17, 20. That is the challenge. God has given us the immense privilege to be his representative in our corner of the world of sport. But he will hold us accountable for how faithfully we have represented him. Let us pray for ourselves and each other in this responsibility.