I have a confession to make: I like sports and sometimes I watch a game here and there. I am not happy or sad with this situation; I guess that I just have a competitive nature. I don’t believe that watching or playing sports is necessarily a sin, although the following situations can be sinful or pretty close to it:
Skipping church attendance because of a game (to play or watch).
Not paying attention to sermons because you are thinking about sports
Gambling hard earned money on different competitions
Idolizing a team, a player or a sport
Wasting too much time watching sporting events
I fall into this last category sometimes. I have wasted time in the past while watching my favorite team lose time and again. Thankfully, I have only wasted my time, but there are many that have wasted thousands of dollars in tickets, parking, airfare, hotel accommodations and meals.
The Bible encourages us not to waste our time in idle pursuits. The time that we spend (waste) on sports, videogames, and all other forms of entertainment have very little, if any, lasting value. I do not regret, however, the time that I have spent playing with my children and grandchildren or the “date nights” with my lovely wife.
Family time is never a waste of time, for it can often be a time for bonding and for teaching the ways of the Lord. Perhaps this is what the Bible calls “redeeming the time” as we use our time wisely for several things at once. This is exactly what Paul tells us in his letter to the Ephesians:
“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15, 16)
And once again in another letter,
“Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.” (Galatians 4:5)
Moses, the man who spent a great deal of time with God, admonishes us in the book of Psalms to become good managers of our limited time. If Fortune 500 companies value time management skills in their leaders and employees, the followers of Christ must learn to use the time that we have been given for the glory of God.
“So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12)
What are we going to do with the rest of our time? Use it wisely or waste it unwisely?
A. G.
