Trivia, but not Trivial

Here are a couple of trivia questions for you. How many times did Babe Ruth win the American League Most Valuable Player award? How many times did Red Grange win the NFL Most Valuable Player award?

Interestingly, they are tied. The answer, in both cases, is zero. Neither of them was ever named most valuable player. There was no such award in the NFL until 1957, long after Red Grange had retired. There was no such award in baseball until 1931, near the end of Babe Ruth’s career.

In recent years, it seems, our sports have been dominated by individual statistics and individual achievement awards. It has not always been this way. There was a time when the team was considered more important than the individual. As someone has said, “the name on the front of the jersey is more important than the name on the back.” When it comes to the Yankees, about the only thing I like about the team is their decision that the players’ names will not appear on the jerseys, only the team logo.

Are we infected with the modern worship of individual accomplishment, or do we realize that the individual is to show more concern for others than for himself? Are we infected with worldly self-centeredness, or do we realize that the Lord’s glory ought to be our goal? Would we rather that the church succeeds even if we are unnoticed or do we insist that we be catered to, whether it is good for the church or not?

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3-4, ESV).

“For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness” (Psalm 84:10, ESV).