According to the National Council of Youth Sports, sports are generally considered healthy for kids, offering physical, social, and mental benefits. But in recent years, the cost of playing on select teams or in youth programs has led some parents to question their investment. Equipment, uniforms, team fees, and travel can cost thousands of dollars. Wintergreen Research estimates that the pay-to-play youth sports model has grown into a $19 billion industry.

Some teams will argue that the investment is worth it because the kids will earn college scholarships and play professionally. That’s unlikely; according to an NCAA survey in 2016, only 7 percent of high school baseball players will play at the collegiate level. Of those, only 2 percent will play at a Division I program, and 2 percent will play professional baseball.

It’s probably not a wise investment of thousands of dollars if the main reason to play youth sports is to pursue a professional sports career. But if your reason for investing time, energy, and resources into youth sports is spiritual growth, then the eternal rewards are worth it.

2 Peter 1 – Lasting Returns

In 2 Peter 1, Peter urges us to build a pyramid of Christian virtues grounded in faith. Take a moment to examine this list of virtues to develop in your life or in your teammates: love, brotherly kindness, godliness, perseverance, self-control, knowledge, moral excellence, and faith (1:5-8). There’s no reason to wonder whether it’s worth your time to pursue these virtues. Hebrews 6:10-12 even offers a guarantee. God promises a return on our investment for our diligence.

Kingdom Sports Ministry’s goal is to train and equip coaches, athletes, and parents to transform competition so that it glorifies King Jesus. Our website, kingdomsports.online, offers many resources to help train coaches and athletes in godliness. Take a few moments to review Peter’s list of virtues and the resources on our website that might help cultivate them.

The Kingdom Coach and Athlete invest time, energy, and resources to foster their spiritual growth, becoming more like Christ and glorifying Him. They are confident this investment will be eternally secure.

Bible Memory Verse – “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some consider slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 (LSB)

Click HERE for the Kingdom Sports Minute: Return on Investment

Our featured book this week is Wolves Can’t Fly (KC Wolf: Faith, Family & Fur) by Dan Meers. Dan Meers has been KC Wolf, the mascot of the Kansas City Chiefs, for over 25 years. In 2006, he was inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame. Dan travels throughout the United States and the world entertaining thousands of people both in and out of costume. He is in high demand not only as a mascot but also as a humorous and motivational speaker to audiences of all ages. His enthusiasm, optimism, and love for life are contagious and make Dan an inspiration to all who meet him. His biography will entertain and inspire young and old alike.

Click HERE to review. 

To see our full catalog of Bible Study Guides and Devotions, click HERE