PLAYING OR PRAYING

COME NOW, LET US PLAY
I have said for a long time that you can tell more about a man's relationship with God by the way he plays than the way he prays.

While we are playing we are usually being our real selves, without the cover of guarded words and reactions. This is evident whether we are winning or losing. There is such a thing as being a bad loser and a bad winner. Contrary to sports worshiping society, winning is NOT the most important thing OR the only thing. To regard winning in such high esteem is idolatry.

On the other hand, when some people are praying, at least in the presence of other people, they want to put their best foot forward. This can result in them presenting a facade, whether intentional or subconsciously. They carefully choose their words, they present a pious demeanor, they affect kindness and concern.

Yes, pretense can cover reality while people are playing, but it is not as likely.

KEEP IT DOWN
One of my fellow students in Bible college did not believe that God purifies believers from their sinful/carnal nature, their double mind, their old man. He believed (as many others mistakenly do) that believers must live with the sinful nature and suffer the corrupting tyranny of indwelling sin. He believed that the best he could do about the carnal mind was, "keep it down." Of course, the Bible says it is not subject to the law of God, and cannot be (Ro. 8:7), therefore it cannot be "kept down" by human will. It takes Divine deliverance and cleansing, not human endeavor.

HUMAN SOLUTION NOT ENOUGH
When my friend would play sports he would get so involved that he would exhibit carnal anger, pride, insensitivity. I would remind him to "keep it down." But he couldn't. Eventually he gave up sports because he kept yielding to baser feelings, which hurt other people.

Too bad he did not accept the cleansing of Christ instead of remaining as a slave to carnality. I admired him for being willing to give up something that he enjoyed in order to avoid situations, in which he manifested sinful attitude, words and actions. At least he acknowledged his own sin. Too bad he did not acknowledge God's cleansing and delivering grace.

LET CHRIST RULE
It does not matter what our theology, if we allow anything, such as sports, politics, finances, personal pleasures and preferences to be guided by self or sin, rather than ruled by purity of heart and perfect love, we are losers, no matter how we keep the score in life.