God's Coaching #102

God's Coaching #102

The sport of kabaddi looks sort of like a combination of red rover and wrestling. But instead of linking arms and calling, “Red rover, red rover, let Johnny come over,” teams in kabaddi send a “raider” to the opposition’s side of the field. The raider must hold his breath as he faces four opponents with linked hands, hoping to break the chain and return to his side of the field unscathed. A raider must not take a breath on the opponent’s side of the field as he pulls and wrestles his foe. The sport originated in South Asia years before Jesus was born as a form of recreational combat training.

The first Kabaddi World Cup was held in 2010 in the Punjab state of northwest India. Although cricket is the most popular sport in India, kabaddi is the official sport in this area. The local fans rarely sat down as they cheered their team to the championship. India, Pakistan, Great Britain, the United States, Iran, Italy, Canada, and Australia began the tournament. But in the end, India defeated Pakistan 58–24 in the final match. Following the victory, the Punjab government awarded government jobs to each player on the winning team.

What’s the Score?

If you’re not familiar with the sport, kabaddi looks a little strange. It’s obvious there are rules, which six officials help enforce, but as an outsider it’s hard to understand. For the people in Punjab, other parts of India, and Bangladesh, however, kabaddi is part of their sports tradition. When traditions pull people together and create unity, they can be good things.

During Jesus’ time on earth, he ran into some bad traditions. The Pharisees created traditions and rules that went against God’s laws. They acted holy, but their hearts weren’t dedicated to God. When Jesus saw what they were doing, he said, “You ignore God’s law and substitute your own tradition” (Mark 7:8).

As you live for God, think about the traditions you have. Maybe your family has the tradition of serving at a homeless shelter every Easter. Or perhaps you always do a family Bible study on Wednesday nights. Those are good traditions that line up perfectly with God’s laws. But also be on the lookout for traditions that might not be what God wants.

On the Ball

Write down one of your family’s traditions: ___________________________________________. Do you think it lines up with God’s teachings? Jesus wants us to inspect every area of our lives to make sure we’re fully living for him.

Coach’s Comment

You ignore God’s law and substitute your own tradition. Mark 7:8