I am NOT a sports fan or sports nut. Of course, I love my Cleveland teams—win or lose. Good thing, since they mostly lose….. but that’s a story for another day.

From Little League games up through the pros, you will see teams on the field or in the locker room, on their knees praying. That always made me wonder…does God pick sides in sports?

Mmmm…

I don’t know the answer to that question, but I suspect not. But that doesn’t mean God doesn’t care about the game, the players, and everyone else involved. We know he cares about the smallest details of our lives.

So what does God care about when it comes to sports in general and the Super Bowl?  Of course, He cares about the physical and spiritual well-being of all involved, but I think there’s a few other things.

INTEGRITY is the first thing that comes to mind. In this days when we get disappointed time after time by our athletic heroes, (can someone say Lance Armstrong?), it’s a wonderful thing when athletes live the principles they speak of (can someone say Tim Tebow?)

EXCELLENCE at whatever we do. Whether an athlete, a teacher, or a parent, God honors those who choose to live a life of excellence. That doesn’t mean being the best or never making a mistake. It means doing the best you can with what you have.

ATTITUDES are important to God. Come Sunday, a team will win and a team will lose. The attitude in which we do either makes a difference to those around us. We can’t choose our circumstances, but we can choose how to react to them.

So, it seems there are still lessons to be learned from sports. What about you? Besides integrity, excellence, and attitudes, what other lessons can we learn?