You and I love sports! We’re fans of particular teams and find ourselves rooting for specific players we connect with. We cheer for someone because of their personality, their skill set or where they’re from.
But as fans, we’re part of the problem that has fueled athletes to become people who are worshiped and idolized.
We have placed them on a pedestal and many athletes have embraced this and taken it to a whole other level. Social media has turned athletes into stars and sometimes it feels like certain guys are more concerned with how they “perform” on Twitter or Instagram than they do on the field.
Jason Whitlock on the TV show, Speak for Yourself, provided a very intriguing monologue that inspired today’s devotional. You can watch it here: Video
A few of his points that stood out to me are about how “self-worship is the new American identity” and how “we worship ourselves first and we worship select athletes and celebrities most passionately.” He also said, “I believe self-worship is at the heart of our societal ills.”
Whitlock went on to talk about how athletes run megachurches on social media and think of themselves as "brands but in reality, operate as deities."
There is so much to unpack with this issue, but the encouragement for us today is knowing that only God is worthy of our worship. We have to remind ourselves that athletes make poor gods and we as individuals are terrible gods too.
When we do choose to pursue self-worship or praise athletes in an intense way, we are getting caught up in idolatry. This is defined as “extreme admiration, love, or reverence for something or someone.”
Paul warns against this in 1 Corinthians 10:14 (AMP): "Therefore, my beloved, run from idolatry .”
It’s easy for us to point the finger at athletes or think the problem is only with crazy sports fans on Twitter. However, the truth is that since Adam and Eve, we all wrestle with selfish motives, self-worship, self-importance, and a desire to be God.
We like to be praised and thought highly of and we want others to notice us. Being admired and highly regarded isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it can quickly become a strong motivation that turns into idolatry. Our eyes move away from the greatness of our God onto the pursuit of self and the trap of pride.
Proverbs 11:2 (AMP) says, "When pride comes , then come dishonor and shame, but with the humble there is wisdom and soundness of mind.”
Today, let’s humbly stand in awe of our wonderful God, the Almighty Creator, and Savior, who is the only one worthy of true worship.
Let's resist self-worship and the idolatry that is described in Romans 1:25 (NLT): "They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.”
I’m Bryce Johnson and you can UNPACK that!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I know I am filled with pride and selfishness and I desire to be praised. But I pray I’d take up my cross and die to myself and live humbly in view of Your greatness. I pray I wouldn’t be so self-centered, but instead live to bring glory to You. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
Discussion Questions for PACKS:
What do you think about social media, athletes building platforms, and the response from fans?
In what ways do you struggle with self-worship, idolatry, and pride? How can we hold you accountable and encourage you?
Comments