The Chosen Athlete...
My heartbeat was beating hard as the Chennai Super Kings showed up for the big fight against the Mumbai Indians on sunday 25th April. Finally it was the judgement day for both the team as one will only go down to history and hold the champion's trophy. For some mysterious reason, since the inception I have vouched to support this Chennai team no matter what it comes and i tell you... it was not that easy in the process to remain faithful when they're not performing well in some of the crucial matches. However, the 25th April match was a real treat to see Raina as a batsmen smashing boundaries despite big Hayden & M.Vijay's early exit. Along the way as the match progresses, I tried to distant myself from bieng swayed away by the crazy pressure that is creeping into my sense. I can't sit straight specially when Pollard came and start hitting around with those scintillating boundaries. That fateful evening in a stadium like D.Y. Patel where more than 50,000 fans were chanting Sachin sachin (continues)... the opponent team seems so small and tiny... hardly i can spot few fans with yellow jersey, the rest the blue fills the air. Surely that was a special night to remember for all the ardent fans of super kings.
Most of the readers might finds it hard imagining me as sports lover I know you're almost right...but not for those of my close associates, i've been enrolled to these old institutions since long time ago.. Some critics might allege this as a sheer waste of time and energy... no matter what controversies surrounds the league, am reminded of the other side of the story where Apostle Paul mention in the letters to the Church of Corinth. Be it any given sports..... No matter how much the tournament generate attentions, at the end of the day, the performance at the ground or the court matters and that alone decides the fate of who wins the prize. At the backstage, all these players are not build overnight, they undergo several harsh trainings to be fit enough for the game and most of all to win the prize. The process of disciplining ones own selves (building up character) is never easy and hence overcoming that is pathbreaking... Keeping those live actions on mind, it is indeed interesting to see how Apostle Paul mention Christian as runners in 1 Corinthians 9:24 onwards... Do you know that in a race all runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it for a crown that will last forever. Therefore do not run like a man aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I will not be disqualified for the prize.
As the article slowly started to breathe and i try getting into some small study, am taken by surprise to learnt how sports were such a big serious community event that goes into preparation for years and years. I can't imagine to be seated inside the giant amphitheatre bieng crowded with the Roman soldiers, nobles and the common men, watching the big bloody fights like gladiator for which they often consider it as sports. Or otherwise the famous Olympic event (mother of all sports event) that traces from the ancient Greece.
Personally I feel, Paul must have witness to some sports that has been organized or may be he was equally a sports lover as i do, but what makes me equally intriguing about him is the way he took sports as a serious example of how Christians are often like. When we enter a race or any competition, we surely try to win, not loose! After all the training and effort, we try our best. Yet, even with our best effort... you may not win. In a physical race or competition, only one person can win! I think there's a huge gap between a Champion and a runner, so is the gap between gold and bronze. However, in the Christian race, we can all run for God's glory! All can receive a prize, if we run well and properly. If you want to run well you cannot get yourself so consumed with the things of this world that you have no time to run the Christian race. I realized how we are often burdened by wearing extra cloths or sometimes unrelevant attires in our life... all these additional matters or problems we try to pile up or keep within us... leads to nothing but drag our energy from sustaining us to finish the line. In every aspect of our life, keeping our personal or Church mission in focus therefore is crucial. Losing sight of the prize could cost us the race.
In any international sports, the team undergo serious physical fitness exercise and practices despite whatever. I still remember last season where national newspaper carries the news of Mr. Symond (Aus) being dropped from the team because he missed one of the team practices. How severe was that? Some years ago, I watched "goal" directed by Danny Cannon, where Santiago Munez, a young lad from mexico who along with his poor family immigrated to America and soon realize his dreams and passion in kicking and dribbling balls. As the drama progresses, it was surely painful to see how hard it was to fulfill his dream and overcome the odds to reach new castle.
Come June, we have the most awaited football 'world cup' in South Africa. I know for sure many of us have already decided whom to support. I still remember the famous headbutt of Zidane, the crazy sleepless nights we cheered for our respective favourite teams. The same is the case that many a times we often failed to recognize that we're very much in the field too as a Christian. The sweet difference that sets us apart from this comparison is that we run to get the prize that last forever (the imperishable crown). There is no shortcut to reach our goal, wherever we're placed today, you may be a midfielder, striker, batsmen or anything (you name them), let us encourage and admonish one another to our part faithfully and consistently. Wear your team's jursey because that is the identity we recognize our own flock and the Christlike identity that calls us for. Nadal was unstoppable some years ago, but injuries have kept him from coming to the court for a while. He worked on his weaknesses and thus beautifully bounced back to grab the Rome masters title this week. Experts says, an honest athlete must not delude himself into thinking he is strong when he is not. An honest athlete must know his weaknesses. He must know where he needs improvement so that he is able to train effectively. The good news is, God has called us as a chosen athlete to participate and be involved in the great harvest, he will not leave us alone in the open ground. Be in his team and let Him coach us to victory!
