As sports fans, we admire professional athletes for the talent and abilities they display on the court and field. But even though we understand how impressive it is to be at the highest sports level, I’m not sure we fully consider the sacrifices these athletes make along the way.
I was reminded of this in an article about Boston Celtics player, Payton Pritchard, on TheAthletic.com. Jay King writes about how Pritchard’s journey set up a successful college career at Oregon which then led to being drafted in 2020 by the Celtics with the 26th overall pick.
He describes how Pritchard has always been willing to embrace whatever it takes to be great: “He has been willing to make sacrifices most people wouldn’t. After he decided at a young age to dedicate himself to sports and eventually basketball, his parents would tell him he could not settle for being like everyone else. ‘If you want to be great,’ his parents would say, ‘you can’t be normal.’“Pritchard’s father, Terry, says he sometimes wonders whether it was right to let Payton miss out on so much. But even as early as middle school, Payton wanted to do whatever it took to separate himself as a basketball player. The process bloodied his hands. It shaped his friendships. It forced him to miss out on a number of normal childhood experiences.”
Pritchard is young and currently more of a role player than a star for the Celtics as they take on the Bucks in the playoffs. However, he's still an NBA player, and his story of sacrifice and missing out on things to focus on pursuing the vision of being great is encouraging.
This isn't exclusive to Pritchard or even athletes. The reality is that many pursuits in the world which require those sacrifices, end up being worthless and less important compared to the life of “greatness” God invites us to. Even so, as followers of Jesus, these principles demonstrated in a sports journey like Pritchard’s translate to our own lives. His parents’ words, “If you want to be great, you can’t be normal” and “you can’t settle for being like everyone else” also ring true for us. When we surrender our lives to Jesus and receive His grace through faith, we don’t have to chase greatness to be saved and we don’t pursue it for our own personal gain. Instead, our hearts desire to obey God and live lives that are great in His eyes. We walk with Him according to His ways as we live for His glory. The journey of following Jesus includes sacrifice (which started with Him on the cross) because we don’t live “normal” lives according to the world or culture. Just like Pritchard did whatever it took to separate himself as a basketball player, we are called to live holy lives that are set apart and look different. It might mean we “miss out” on certain things, but we “can’t settle for being like everyone else” because we live with deep purpose and a great eternal vision. We are new creations and Christ lives in us, so our relationships, attitudes, perspectives, and desires are different from the world. Paul encourages us in Romans 12:1-2 (AMP), “Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship. “And do not be conformed to this world , but be transformed and progressively changed by the renewing of your mind , so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect .” Thankfully, as we continue on our journey of holiness, sacrifice, and greatness in the sight of the Lord, we don’t do it in our own strength or power. 2 Chronicles 16:9 (NLT) reminds us, “The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him…” Today, let’s not be “normal” or “just like everybody else,” but truly embrace being a “living sacrifice.” I’m Bryce Johnson and you can UNPACK that! PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I pray my proper vision of greatness would be based on Your truth and according to Your ways. I desire to be a living sacrifice that is Holy and pleasing to You. Please give me the strength I need to be different and set apart from the world’s ways, while also having an impact. I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Discussion Questions for PACKS:
In what ways have people noticed you are different because of your faith?
What enticing aspects of the world do you have a hard time sacrificing?
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