After winning the Rose Bowl Most Valuable Player (MVP) award twice, Vince Young was one of the most highly anticipated picks going into the 2006 NFL draft. He was selected as the third overall pick and signed a $58 million contract with the Tennessee Titans. He played six years in the NFL but found himself bankrupt a few years later.

Young’s story is all too common among professional athletes who have squandered away their fortunes in just a few short years. Now, the NFL requires all rookies to attend a four-day symposium that includes lectures on professional responsibility and personal finance. In the ESPN documentary Broke, it was estimated that 78% of NFL players are out of money in less than two years after leaving the game.

Galatians 5 – Priceless Gift

Most athletes can’t handle the prosperity or the responsibility that comes with big contracts and fame. The Christians in Galatia were no different. When Paul and Barnabas preached the gospel of Jesus Christ to them, they received that priceless gift of salvation by grace through faith but then let false teachers rob them of their freedom in Christ.

The Kingdom Coach and Athlete boast only in the cross of Jesus Christ rather than any human works. He or she knows they have been set free to serve one another (5:13-14) and to display real Christlike character (5:22-23).

Bible Memory Verse – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, [and] self-control. Galatians 5:22-23a (LSB)