This oversized lap quilt was made as a gift for my father. He's a big fan of sports, baseball included. It's a grid pattern of a baseball print and red flannels, with blue flannel sashing, and red flannel border. The binding is extra red flannel and the backing is a soft beige cotton.
The Bible doesn't speak on our modern sports, and most organized sports of the time were Roman and not attended regularly by the projected audience of the Bible. The Bible has one mention of sports, especially the requirements of performance.
"Don’t you know that in a stadium the runners all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win! Every competitor exercises self-control in all respects. They do it to receive a perishable crown, but we do it to receive an imperishable one. So I run in this way—not aimlessly. So I box in this way—not beating the air. Rather, I punish my body and bring it into submission, so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified." (1 Corinthians 24-27 TLV)
The Apostle Paul is drawing a connection between athletes and preachers of the Kingdom. Someone who doesn't train for a race or a fighting match will lose. The intentions of their heart may have been to win, but without putting in the effort to train for the event, they lose to a superior opponent. Apostle Paul also mentions their self-control. In order to stay in peak condition, they must watch their diet. They have to eat healthy, not junk food. They also have to have a strict exercise plan. They can't sit around all day, they must stretch, run, and lift.
In the same way, we cannot expect success in the Kingdom, especially in gathering in the harvest of souls, if we don't train and practice self-control. Apostle Paul makes this connection. When an athlete wins, they receive a trophy. When we gather souls and enact God's will on earth, we receive crowns in Heaven. No team goes to the World Series and wins having not trained. They train in the off season, practice in the preseason, and succeed in the season, and dominate in the post-season. Why should it be any different with us? If we don't put in the effort during the entire year, we won't win our World Series, the harvest of souls.
We must always be diligent. Train by reading God's word. Condition your heart and mind by speaking in tongues and listening to the Holy Spirit. Win games in the season by showing others that the Christian lifestyle brings blessings and happiness. When compared to non-believers, always come out on top because of how you live a holy life. When people ask you why you're so successful, hit a home run and tell them about Christ. Treat the Christian lifestyle as seriously as any athlete striving for a trophy at the end of the season.