Does anger have a place in the sporting world?

Does anger have a place in the sporting world? It most certainly is there. Some coaches routinely use anger to motivate. Often anger is an unplanned response to circumstances that arise. In these circumstances anger can be ugly, mean and frequently violent. So it’s not surprising that growing Christian athletes try to avoid anger.

But remember, Jesus Himself displayed anger at times. Lashing out at the religious hypocrites and literally lashing out on those that turned His Father’s house into a “den of thieves”. The Bible tells us in Ephesians 4 to be angry, but do not let the sun go down on that anger...meaning not to foster it in our hearts. There are several other passages though that instruct us to turn away from anger. So the reality is that anger is a delicate emotional balancing act.

Years ago I was watching a MN Twins game from center field. A Yankee homerun was followed by the slowest ever trot around the bases. When this hitter came back up in the rotation the catcher called a brush back pitch. I can’t remember if the pitch hit the batter but there were very intense, angry words spoken between the catcher and this hitter which soon evolved into the inevitable baseball bench clearing brawl. The next day I was talking to my good friend who was the chaplain for the team and the personal spiritual mentor for that catcher, Brian Harper, a very solid Christian. Tom relayed to me that before “Harp” called that pitch...he prayed. Prayed for wisdom and the ability to make the right call.

Sometimes in sport anger and retribution do have a place, but they must be controlled and calculated. When one loses emotional control that’s when sin rushes through a very wide open door. Whether you’re a coach that wants to move players to a new level or simply an athlete reacting to the moment, anger can be a powerful tool if it’s contained and used deliberately.

It’s a good thing that Galatians 5.22-23 tells us that one of the fruits of the Spirit is SELF-CONTROL. In emotional times we certainly need to walk with God and let Him empower us to do the right thing for the need of the moment.