People who are on the path to good character are always in the process of re-creation, not just recreation, which is too often confused with entertainment.   Entertainment is an amusement or a diversion, while recreation is the refreshment of strength and spirit. In order to emphasize the right meaning of recreation in this blog post, I will hyphenate the word to stimulate thought about the refreshment of strength concept.

Even spectator sports can be a form of re-creation rather entertainment for the person of character. For true character and spiritual re-creation you need to ask after watching a game, “What did I learn about character from this event?”  The BCS Football National Championship gave us several great examples of character truths:

Coach Nick Saban’s philosophy that championships are the result of process and not events. Both before and after the game Saban indicated that excellence in the big game included paying attention to the smallest details regarding planning, practicing, and playing in the little games.  The same is true in building good character. You have to plan to do right, and then you have to do right in the little things before you will do right in the big events.

Colt McCoy, the star quarterback of the Texas Longhorns, was eliminated early in the game by an injury.  The injury was not the result anything he did wrong; such injuries just happen in the game of football. Yet when the game was over McCoy was gracious and spoke of his passion for the game. Stuff happens in life that we did not cause and over which we do not have control.  People of character choose to stay engaged rather than bitter and withdrawn.

True freshman backup quarterback, Garrett Gilbert, arrived at the game with little expectations of playing, but due to McCoy’s injury played all but five offensive plays. His inexperience showed early but he more than met the challenge in that exciting fourth quarter. In issues of character you never know when you will face the greatest challenges and you have to be ready at all times.

Mark Ingram, Heisman trophy winner and offensive MVP of the game, never used his father’s imprisonment as an excuse not to excel. This amazing and inspiring young man refused to allow his future to be determined by his family’s past. People of good character never let the bad character choices of family members determine who they are.

Next time you watch a sporting event, choose to be re-created rather than just entertained.  When you do you will be taking a major step down the character path.

Characterpath.com
Gary Fenton

You can hear Gary Fenton each Friday morning at 9:35 on WERC FM 105.5 and WERC 960.