A Biblical Approach to Parenting Your AthleteSample

## The Golden Rule in Sports (Sportsmanship, Respect, Honor) READY: > “Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” –Matthew 7:12 SET: Is sportsmanship outdated? What is the end goal for your child’s sports experience? Is it to win the T-Ball championship? Is it to earn a college athletic scholarship? Is it to create a “win at any cost” mentality or to develop a respectful, Christ-honoring child who becomes a Kingdom-minded adult? If your answer is the latter, you can begin by setting a standard of sportsmanship, respect, and honor with your athlete child. Do not be enticed to think that competing to win and competing honorably are mutually exclusive concepts. I played 25 years of organized sports and tried my best to win every game. However, I also tried to show good sportsmanship by avoiding taunting, boasting, cheap shots, and trash-talking. I realize in today’s sports culture, the aforementioned actions are celebrated, but most parents do not want to encourage these boorish behaviors in their children. Do you want your children to become culture followers or Christ followers? The Golden Rule still applies, even in sports. Sports are a laboratory for learning while respecting and honoring opponents and referees in their games. Yes, your athlete child can exhibit good sportsmanship and still compete hard for the win! You can help produce good sportsmanship by modeling it in the stands. You can build up your child during competition without tearing down someone else’s child. By instilling this character trait in your athlete child, you will be making a deposit that pays huge dividends throughout the rest of their lives---long after they cease playing competitive sports. Before reading how the Bible addresses honor and respect of others, take a moment to ask God to help you understand and apply the verses provided. WORKOUT: Bible Discussion Romans 12:10 1 Peter 2:17 James 4:6 Proverbs 24:17-18 GO 1\. What do you learn about how God looks at the “me first” mentality? How does this apply to your athlete child? 2\. Honoring another is taught in Romans 12:10 and 1 Peter 2:17. In the sports context, describe what it means to honor an opponent or referee. 3\. What is your “takeaway” from all the Bible verses provided in this chapter on sportsmanship? OVERTIME: Practice Session 1\. Discuss with your athlete child about sportsmanship. Get a sheet of paper with two columns titled at the top, “good sportsmanship” and “poor sportsmanship.” Ask your child to write in behavior examples of each. 2\. Share one or more of the Bible verses provided in this chapter with your athlete child. Ask them what they believe the verse is teaching. Ask them how they might be impacted or influenced by the verse(s) in their next game. The Golden Rule in Sports (Sportsmanship, Respect, Honor) Testimonial