“Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 14: 11; also 18:14)
This message is so important that Jesus issues it not just once, but in
two separate incidents in Gospel accounts. To the guests choosing places of
honor at a banquet, Jesus advises taking the lowest seats, and waiting for the
host to invite them to a higher position. In the parable of the Pharisee and
the tax collector, Jesus champions the sinner who humbly admits his failings
and prays for forgiveness instead of the Pharisee who praises his own virtue.
In both instances Christ’s message is clear: exaltation is not ours to seek or
to bestow--it is granted by the Father through our humility in prayer, word and
action.
Given this, an important discussion arises among Christian athletes on
the issue of praying for victory. Baseball managing legend Tommy Lasorda once
joked, “I never pray that we win—I pray that we don’t lose.” With prayer
becoming more openly expressed in the athletic activities the question is
inevitable: is it proper to pray for victory? What are some underlying
spiritual movements in prayers offered for success in sports?
Praying for victory simply for the satisfaction and glory it brings
would seem contrary to Christ’s teaching. If the object of prayer is merely to
seek our own glorification, then we need look no further to the Savior’s words
noted above for resolution. But success in athletics can have broader
ramifications; it can open doors to various avenues for God’s grace, which
should be taken into account when discerning the propriety of praying to win.
For Christian athletes seeking to spread the Good News of Christ,
success in sports means higher visibility and a larger stage from which to
evangelize. Victory in sports, especially when it comes in a dramatic fashion
or against steep odds, has an inspiring quality that can arouse the faithful to
apply the lessons learned to their own life. Any victory gained through hard
work, preparation, discipline and effective teamwork has lessons to offer far
beyond the sports world.
While these by-products of athletic success have positive ramifications
for Christian mission, does it still justify praying for victory? Or should
prayer humbly ask only for God’s help in doing our best, leaving the outcome to
His providential care? Perhaps a healthy mix of both is the right approach.
As in everything in our lives, the Lord’s example is the best to
follow. On the night before his death, Jesus prayed, “Father, if you are
willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done.”
(Luke 22: 42) Jesus honestly expresses to the Father his human desires; but
ultimately His divine nature prevails and He prays that God’s will be done. In
the same way God wants us to honestly tell Him our real desires, whether or not
they are truly the best for us. God wants us to openly share our wants with him
because only he can properly sort them out and help us learn what we truly are
to pursue. Yet while honestly telling him what our will may be, God calls us to
accept his will, whether or not it coincides with our wants. If we
desperately want victory we need to tell that to God, who understands our
hearts better than we and knows better than we if our motives are pure or
tainted by sin. God can then take our prayer and answer us with the wisdom and
counsel we truly need. Maybe victory is the best thing for us; maybe God wants
us—or we need—to lose. In either event, using our God-given talents to the best
of our ability and striving to win while humbly submitting to God’s will is the
only formula for true victory.
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