Why Play Sports

The question of why is always worth asking, no matter what we choose to pursue in life. As Christians striving to live as Jesus taught us, asking why is not optional—it is essential. Purpose matters. Intention matters. Without clarity on why we do something, even good things can lose their meaning. This is especially true when it comes to sports.

If we try to answer the question of why we play sports solely through the lens of the world, it can be difficult to find a compelling reason. The financial cost continues to rise, the time commitment is significant, and for many families the promised return—often framed as a college scholarship—is increasingly unlikely. When measured only by outcomes the world values, sport can feel inefficient or even unnecessary. But this is the wrong lens.

When viewed through a biblical perspective, sport is not merely a recreational activity or a way to stay busy. Sport is good. More than that, sport can serve as a powerful classroom for learning what it means to pursue excellence, steward our God-given gifts, and grow in Christlikeness. Playing sports is hard work, and that is not a flaw—it is part of the design. Scripture reminds us that we were created to work even before the fall, when Adam and Eve were called to cultivate and tend the garden. Discipline, effort, and intentional growth have always been woven into God’s plan.

One of the great gifts of sport is that it teaches us how to do hard things. While there are many ways to experience difficulty, few engage both the mind and body the way sport does. Sometimes the challenge seems simple, like running a faster mile or refining a basic skill. Other times it is far more complex, such as the years of practice required to achieve marginal improvement at a high level. Early on, the difficulty may come in the form of embarrassment or discomfort. Later, it often shows up as frustration when progress slows and improvement is no longer obvious. Sport requires us to remain faithful in discomfort, and that lesson matters because holiness requires the same perseverance. Following Jesus costs nothing to begin, but becoming like Him and living as He lived is hard. Sport trains us to stay engaged in the struggle rather than avoid it.

Sport also teaches us how to work through failure, a lesson many of us would prefer to skip. Most people do not enjoy failing, but athletes who pursue excellence eventually learn to see failure as part of the process rather than the end of the road. It becomes a teacher instead of an obstacle. In the beginning, failure can feel overwhelming and discouraging, often leading people to quit altogether. But once an athlete pushes through that barrier for the first time, failure loses some of its power. Resilience grows, perspective deepens, and joy becomes more accessible. The Christian life follows a similar rhythm. We never wake up hoping to fail, just as we never enter a game hoping to lose. Yet because we are imperfect, we understand that failure will occur. When it does, we repent, get back up, and continue pursuing faithfulness. Sport provides a unique environment to practice this rhythm with humility and grace.

Another powerful lesson sport offers is learning to live without control over the outcome. Winning and losing are real, and effort does not always guarantee success. Unlike many academic settings where outcomes are largely dependent on individual work, sport involves limited opportunities, competition, and decisions made by others. Tryouts happen. Cuts are made. Positions are finite. This lack of control can be frustrating, but it is also deeply formative. Much of adult life works the same way. Jobs, promotions, sales, and opportunities often require persistence in the face of rejection. As Christians, this reality reminds us of our role and God’s role. We are called to work hard, pursue excellence, knock on doors, and steward our gifts well. The outcome belongs to God. Learning to accept what He gives us with trust and joy is a lesson sport teaches repeatedly.

Sport is not for everyone, but for those who choose it, the question is no longer if it will shape you—it is how. At B3rd, we believe sport should be more than something we do; it should be a place where we intentionally belong, are actively becoming, and are ultimately sent. This requires a shift from using sport for personal gain to stewarding it for eternal growth. The challenge before athletes, parents, and coaches is to stop settling for surface-level success and instead allow sport to form Christlike character, virtue, and purpose. The Journey to Becoming 3rd exists to help guide that process—to integrate faith and sport with intention, clarity, and consistency. If sport is part of your life, then so is the opportunity to grow closer to Jesus through it. The question is whether you will step into that journey on purpose.