Ask a coach or athlete about the source of their motivation and you’ll probably hear responses such as:

“My motivation is my family.”

“I play for the respect of my teammates and coaches.”

“I want to become a professional and earn lots of money.”

You might even hear that they are motivated by the fear of failure. Competitors can be so engulfed in their sport, the idea of losing and underperforming drives them to never give up. Coaches, athletes and parents also place an enormous amount of pressure on competitors to be great. Set by the standards of the sports industry, success is often in our minds.

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21)

But all of this is missing something: An even greater motivation. What about God?

As Christian coaches and athletes, we must always be mindful that we are in this world, but we are not of this world. Our biblical worldview should start with a mindset that reminds us we’re not here to serve man or gain worldly possessions. Everything we do, including competing in our sports, is to serve God and share the Gospel of Jesus with others through our performance.

This purpose is the ultimate motivator for why we play.

We are in close, everyday proximity with teammates and fellow staff who may have never heard about Jesus. What if we were motivated to share Him as often as we can? Imagine how their lives would change if they knew they have the right to be called children of God.

“But to all who did receive Him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in His name.” (John 1:12)

Read the rest of the article to understand a greater motivation.