The Wide World of Sports…Illustrations

Virtually every preacher has used at least a couple of illustrations from the world of sports. The competive nature and excitement of sports makes it full of things with which people readily identify. Also, in our sports-crazed society, people know the games and players, so they can easily picture the illustration when it is well-told.

Over the past couple of weeks a new “star” has emerged in the world of sports, and he is providing a powerful illustration. Floyd Landis, and American cyclist, is just 30 seconds behind the leader in the Tour de France coming into today’s competition. (Going into Thursday’s stage, he was over eight minutes behind.)

What makes this man remarkable is that he can barely walk. In fact, whenever the Tour is over and Landis returns to the states, he will have hip-replacement surgery. Landis has a disease that has degenerated his hip to almost nothing. For over two years no one knew about it!

So, what is the illustration? I believe there are two. One is the power of hard work, or doing something with all one’s might.

Maybe, though, a better illustration is found in the fact that no one knew about Landis’s problem. Here is a world-class athlete with people all around. He has teammates in the Tour (and other bicycle races). And, still, no one knew!

We live in a time where we are open about everything, except ourselves. Christians, the world is looking for someone to listen to their real problems. If we will open our ears and our hearts, we can do so much good for the Lord.

To read more about Floyd Landis, read this article from the San Jose Mercury News.