Caleb like many high school athletes put a tremendous amount of time and energy preparing for their season of sport.  From managing their diet, maintaining their grades, to very rigorous workouts, athletes pour a lot of themselves into the game they play... into a game they love.

But what happens when our identity in sports gets confused with our identity in Christ Jesus?

Many times athletes, coaches, and parents  confuse their value in sport with their eternal value in Christ.  We are unfortunately taught at a young age that our identity is found in the minutes we play, the points we score, and in the final results of the scoreboard.  But the Bible teaches us something just the opposite. 

Colossians 3:1-2 says "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."

Galatians 2:20 – “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

1 Peter 2:9 – “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;”

Instead of being focused on our performance let’s  turn our focus to Jesus’s performance.

Take look at the video where Caleb shares his story and see a great picture of Romans 5:1-5

1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope.5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.