Ep 101: Sportsmanship and Spirituality (w/ Dr. Matt Barker)

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How can spirituality inform our 
sportsmanship? 

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Our guest this morning will tell
us all about that in just a bit.

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I'm David Rogers and this is for
your Sunday morning drive. 

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The short podcast with the goal 
of providing some motivation, 

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Dr. and encouragement and 
helping focus your mind on 

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spiritual things on a hectic 
Sunday morning. 

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Daniel has been down with the 
sickness this week, so he's 

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asked me to host today's 
episode. 

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Today our guest is doctor Matt 
Barker. 

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Matt serves as an assistant 
professor of communication at 

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Freed Hardeman University in 
Henderson, TN. 

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He host the Playing with a 
Purpose podcast which aims to 

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explore topics related to the 
moral development of collegiate 

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athletes as it pertains to 
character, responsibility, 

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leadership, and purpose. 
Matt is also one of the Co hosts

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on the Navigating the Four 
podcast where he and his fellow 

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hosts discussed strategies that 
lead to growth in areas of 

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faith, communication, 
leadership, and healing. 

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Both are fantastic and Daniel 
has included links to both in 

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the show notes. 
Matt, thank you for being on the

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show today. 
Let's get it on the road. 

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This is episode one O 1 
Sportsmanship and spirituality. 

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Let's go to church. 
Are we there yet? 

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Legendary Notre Dame football 
coach Lou Holtz is quoted as 

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saying ability is what you're 
capable of doing. 

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Motivation determines what you 
do. 

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An attitude determines how well 
you do it. 

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Let's explore sportsmanship and 
spirituality. 

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Throughout his football career, 
especially during his time in 

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the NFL with the Denver Broncos,
Tim Tebow faced heavy criticism.

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Analysts questioned his throwing
mechanics, technique, and 

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accuracy. 
Commentators openly mocked his 

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style and even coined the term 
Tebowing in a sarcastic way at 

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first. 
So how did Tim Tebow respond to 

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this criticism? 
Not the way most of us would 

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respond when faced with similar 
criticism. 

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Instead of firing back at 
critics, though, Tim Tebow often

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said things like I will continue
to work hard, be positive, and 

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trust the Lord. 
He didn't deny the criticism. 

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He acknowledged areas to 
improve. 

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He didn't attack critics. 
He focused on effort and 

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character. 
He kept perspective and focused 

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on his identity over his 
performance. 

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In other words, Tim Tebow 
recognized that his identity was

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not in his athletic ability or 
in the sport he played. 

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He recognized that his true 
identity was in the Lord. 

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You see, sportsmanship isn't 
tested when you're applauded or 

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praised. 
It's tested when you're doubted.

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The way we handle criticism says
more about our spiritual 

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maturity than the way we handle 
success. 

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Sportsmanship isn't just about 
how we treat an opponent in 

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sports, although that's very 
important. 

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Sportsmanship is about who you 
are in every aspect of your 

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life, including when the 
spotlight isn't on you, when 

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trials or criticisms come your 
way, or when you feel overlooked

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or slighted. 
In Philippians 2 verses 3 

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through 4, we read do nothing 
out of selfish ambition or vain 

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conceit, but in humility count 
others more significant than 

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yourselves. 
Let each one of you look not 

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only to his own interests but 
also to the interests of others.

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That's sportsmanship in its 
greatest form. 

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You see, sportsmanship is 
humility when the world tells us

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to look out for ourselves. 
It's choosing respect when your 

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emotions say retaliation is the 
best course of action. 

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And it's looking out for the 
interests of others and not just

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focusing on our own needs as we 
see in Philippians 2 verses 3 

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through 4. 
One of the clearest examples of 

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spiritual sportsmanship in the 
Bible is Joseph in the book of 

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Genesis. 
Joseph's story reads like a 

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season where things just go his 
way. 

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And for any of us who have 
played sports for any amount of 

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time, we have all had seasons 
just like that. 

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But Joseph's bad season by far 
puts our bad seasons in 

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perspective. 
You see, Joseph was betrayed by 

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his own brothers, thrown into a 
pit, sold into slavery, falsely 

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accused by Potiphar's wife, and 
forgotten in prison. 

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If anyone had a reason to become
bitter, retaliate, or quit, it 

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was Joseph. 
But here's what stands out about

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Joseph. 
Joseph never let unfair 

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treatment determine his 
character. 

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We see in Genesis 39 that even 
while he was in prison, the Lord

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was with Joseph and he continued
to serve faithfully. 

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He didn't sulk. 
He didn't blame others. 

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He didn't retaliate. 
He didn't let outside 

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circumstances keep him from 
serving others. 

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And then comes the defining 
moment years later when Joseph 

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rises to power in Egypt and his 
brothers stand before him, 

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vulnerable and afraid. 
He has the power to crush them. 

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Instead, Joseph chooses grace. 
In Genesis 5020, Joseph says you

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intended to harm me, but God 
intended it for good to 

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accomplish what is now being 
done. 

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The saving of many lives. 
That sportsmanship at its 

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highest level, Joseph teaches us
you can't always control 

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circumstances. 
You can't always control how 

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others treat you, but you can 
always control your response. 

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True sportsmanship is trusting 
God's bigger story. 

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When your current chapter or 
season of life feels unfair, 

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here's what we have to remember.
The world measures performance. 

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God measures posture. 
In other words, sportsmanship 

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paints a picture of who you 
truly are. 

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How do you respond to adversity?
How do you respond when others 

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mistreat you? 
How do you respond when negative

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things are said about you? 
The world sees performance and 

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results, while God sees our 
posture. 

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Here's my challenge for you this
week. 

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The next time something doesn't 
go your way, when trials or 

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criticisms come your way or when
you feel overlooked or slighted,

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just pause. 
Ask yourself this question. 

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What would honoring God look 
like in this moment? 

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As we conclude today, I want to 
leave you with this verse that 

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will hopefully encourage you as 
you go throughout this week. 

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Colossians 3 verses 23 through 
24 states. 

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Whatever you do, work heartily 
As for the Lord and not for men,

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knowing that from the Lord you 
will receive the inheritance as 

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your reward. 
You are serving the Lord Jesus 

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Christ. 
This verse reminds us that 

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sportsmanship isn't about your 
reputation, it's about who you 

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represent. 
You represent your church, you 

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represent your family, and most 
importantly, you represent 

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Christ. 
Thanks for joining me today for 

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this episode of For Your Sunday 
Morning Drive. 

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Hope you have a great week. 
Matt shared some impactful 

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thoughts with us on our Sunday 
morning drive. 

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Now it's time to hear yours. 
Our discussion questions for 

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this week are When you face 
criticism, how do you usually 

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respond? 
How could you respond in a way 

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that honors God? 
Can you think of a situation in 

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your life that felt unfair? 
How did or how could you choose 

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your response like Joseph did 
this week? 

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Finally, what is 1 specific 
situation where you can pause 

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and ask what would honoring God 
look like right now? 

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Thanks for listening for Daniel 
Doubt. 

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I'm David Rogers. 
We'll see you Sunday.