10 Commandments for Athletes From PhilippiansSample

Christian Athlete, Be Gentle

"Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand" (Philippians 4:5 ESV).

The greek word that translated as reasonableness is often translated as gentleness. But what does gentleness have to do with sports? Gentleness isn’t weakness—it’s strength under control. It’s grace expressed through restraint. Jesus called Himself “gentle and humble in heart,” even though He had unmatched power. Gentleness shows up when a teammate messes up and you respond with patience, when you give feedback with kindness, or when you forgive yourself after failure.

Christian athletes should live in the tension of being fierce and kind, intense and gracious. Because gentleness is a virtue within the fruit of the Spirit that Paul mentions in Galatians 5:22-23, we can have confidence that God desires to grow this in and through us—even within the context of sports. In fact, the Spirit of God may most quickly grow gentleness in us as we learn to love others more than proving ourselves.

Here's one of the biggest challenges with prioritizing gentleness: The unpredictable nature of sports means we are often responding in the moment in ways that we wish we could take back! We need God to change our hearts and speed up the process of sanctification in us so that the next time a situation escalates, we are quick to pause, breathe, and choose gentleness—instead of crashing out. As we learn to do this we'll stand out, not because we’re soft, but because we’re strong enough to stay calm in moments of chaos.

Reflection Questions:

1. How can you show gentleness toward a teammate or coach this week?
2. When are you most tempted to be harsh—with yourself or others?

Prayer to Consider:
Jesus, grow gentleness in me. Help me reflect Your calm strength when pressure and emotion rise. And when I respond with anger and say things I regret, help me to repent in the moment and grow from that experience. For your glory, my joy, and the good of others. Amen.