Going Pro?

September 28, 2015 | Calvin Bryant

My child is not going to be a professional athlete. Read that sentence again. My child is not going to be a professional athlete. Your child is not going to be a professional athlete. The kid across the street, that dominates opposing teams, is not going to be a professional athlete. Let's just face it, that's a fact. Having a professional athlete is like catching lightning in a bottle...literally. The chances of being struck by lightning in your lifetime (1 in 12,000) are significantly greater than the chances of being a professional athlete (1 in 24,550). Think about all the people you know that have been struck by lightning and let that comparison sink in...

So what difference does this make? It has to change the way we view sports and other recreational activities. Simply keeping this thought in the forefront of our minds keeps us from losing focus on what's really important. Things like teamwork, humility, passion, discipline, respect, leadership, and commitment are all more important than the development of a particular level of "talent." Because no matter how many games one plays, how difficult the competition is, or what kind of equipment one has...it takes an absurd amount of God-given talent to be a professional athlete. As a new season of sports ends and others begin, let's keep this in mind when cheering on a team, yelling at a referee, encouraging a student's actions, or skipping a practice. What's really important?

Discussion questions with middle school students: Do you feel like you're too active in something? What's the most important thing in rec activities? What things have you learned from playing? How do you balance reality, hopes, dreams, and what God calls you to be?