What is athletic perfection? An undefeated season? 100 yards rushing average in football? Throwing a perfect game in baseball? Are these accomplishments really perfection?
In Matt 5:48 Jesus says “Therefore, you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Is Jesus saying he expects me to hit every free throw in the next basketball game? Will he be pleased if I do? No, remember Jesus looks at our heart, our attitude, and our motivation. He is not checking our stats and our win-loss record! In the Sermon on the Mount, Chapter 5 of Matthew, Jesus redefines for his listeners what perfection is. He says sin, or missing perfection, is not just in your actions, it is in your thoughts, your attitudes, and your heart. Jesus isn’t concerned with our stats on the playing field. He is concerned with what is in our hearts and minds as we play.
At Hickory Grove we strive to know Christ and make him known through athletics. We want to exalt him at every opportunity we can. We want to win games and hang championship banners as much as any other school, but we have goals beyond that! I believe if our only goal is to win we have set our sights too low. I think Jesus in Matthew 5:48 wants us to shift our focus onto our hearts and minds as we compete. We should be thinking his thoughts and be motivated to glorify Him through our play. Colossians 3:23 says, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for man.” We need to stop focusing just on our physical performance but also on our internal performance!
As Hickory Grove athletics move forward into the 2016-17 school year, we will strive to have athletic perfection. No matter what the scoreboard says, we will strive to live out Colossians 3:23 and have our attitude and hearts focused on the right thing. We are not going to take down our scoreboards, but we know that true athletic perfection lies beyond the scoreboard.
Jim Rhodes- Athletic Director
