Humbling the Proud

During a game versus the New York Jets, former Buffalo Bills receiver Sammy Watkins thought he had the play made. He ran a great route and got a pass that could have scored a 90-yard touchdown. But, at about the 20-yard line, he began pointing to the stands and slowing down, thinking no one would catch him. Jets defensive back Saalim Hakim raced back and tackled Watkins before he could score. Hakim was focused on the play at hand. Watkins was focused on celebrating, and it cost his team.

To play sports, you need some level of confidence. But too much confidence can be costly. In Daniel 4, King Nebuchadnezzar was on his palace roof, admiring his kingdom and all he claimed to build. God punished him by taking his sanity and driving him into the fields to live as an animal. For seven years, he ate grass like a cow, and his nails and hair grew long. Then, he looked to heaven and said, “For his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation.” (Daniel 4:34)

Nebuchadnezzar learned a hard lesson. James 4:6 says, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

Without confidence, you would never take a shot on goal, go for a layup, or swing the club. It takes confidence to do sports the best that you can. But too much pride should have no place in the life of a Christian athlete. Let’s do our best and leave the results to God.