When I was a kid, I could cite the stats of the entire Detroit Tigers baseball team, but I wouldn’t sit down and study for a spelling test or get help with math. What is it about us guys that creates a tribe mentality when it comes to our favorite sports teams, whether it be football, baseball, or basketball? Athletics can make unemotional men full of it and unify high schools, universities, and even cities. Parents, as we raise our athletically-focused boys, don’t focus on their shortcomings. Point to their dedication, abilities, memory, loyalty, and drive to learn and know more. Then, remind them that, while all this is exciting, it pales in comparison to Christ’s gift—his sacrifice, death, and victory over the cross.

Suggested Reading: Philippians 2:8, Philippians 3:14, 1 Thessalonians 5:11