DR. FRENCH O'SHIELDS OK.

I confess I am a football addict, which makes October one of my favorite months. By then the starting jitters and the “sure to win games” are over. The real competition gets under way. Green raw peanuts in the produce stores and the cooler nights, but still-warm days make it exhilarating to be outdoors.

It is not unusual for me to watch all or parts of three to four football games on a Saturday, and again on Sunday. I am careful to be conscious of my surroundings, keeping a close watch on my remote control. When it starts to smoke from overuse, I stick it in the refrigerator for a few minutes to cool it off. During that time I walk around the house, or the shortest block, to replenish my body with oxygen. While walking I thank God that my wife Alma is also addicted to football, so I do not have to go to a local sports bar to watch the game or spend time with a marriage counselor.

I enjoy watching and reading about sports. Yep, the first section of the morning paper I read is the sports section. No wife problem here either. The “funny pages” are her first choice. Because I am not intelligent enough to understand comic strips, I do not read them. SPORT ILLUSTRATED is my longest magazine subscription.

One of the most important reasons I enjoy sports is that it so frequently illustrates and confirms truths found in the Bible.

For example, in 1971 the sports world excitedly awaited the fight between Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali. Prior to the fight, on all the media, Ali pridefully declared: “There’s no man alive who can whoop me. I am too smart and too pretty. I am the greatest, the king. I should be on a postage stamp — that is the only way I will get licked!”

But it did not turn out that way. Ali lost the fight to Frazier!

The South Carolina Gamecocks football team was ranked No. 2 in the nation (1984, I think). The following Saturday, the No. 1 team was beaten and USC played Navy, which had a dismal season. Highly rated to beat Navy and become the No. 1 ranked team, Gamecock fans everywhere were confident and excited. Overconfident. Navy soundly won the game and with the win dissipated the hopes of all of us Gamecock fans.

In the 2008-’09 season, the NFL Carolina Panthers had an outstanding season. With a 12-3 record and only one win away from a conference championship game, and two away from a return to the Super Bowl, the lone opponent standing in the way was a lowly Arizona team which had an embarrassing season. Every sports commentator/writer picked the Panthers to get an easy win. Panther fans were excited and planning for their sure return to the Super Bowl. But it was not to be. The Panthers lost and their hopes and dreams crashed.

Confidence in oneself is necessary for winning. But this is the deal: Overconfidence unchecked becomes pride. Pride is crediting self rather than God with your abilities, skills and accomplishments. This kind of pride then becomes arrogance and selfexaltation, thinking of yourself more highly than you should. According to the Bible, this combination, in sports, life, team or individual, will result in defeat even by a lesser opponent, rather than resulting in victory. The Bible says it this way: “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).

Why can you count on pride resulting in a fall every time? Because God is going to see that it happens. He wants His children HUMBLE, for it makes their life abundant and blessed. He loves us so much He will allow us to be HUMILIATED in order to HUMBLE us, for only then will He exalt us. Jesus Christ said: “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (Matthew 23:1).

This Biblical truth you can count on! You may wish to consider taking it to your bank of obedience!

(Dr. French O'Shields is a Gaffney native and a retired Presbyterian

minister.)