I wonder what judgment day will be like for coaches. Obviously, God won’t line up the coaches in a particular group, but we will certainly answer to him for how we operated. That kid you bullied because he wasn’t good at baseball? God knows. That team you ran up the score on because they were simply incapable of getting you out? He knows. Those people you treated as if they were stupid because they didn’t know what you know? Same.

There’s a healthy fear of the Lord needed when coaching. Here’s why…

Proverbs 22:22-23–“Do not rob the poor because he is poor, or crush the afflicted at the gate; for the Lord will plead their case, and take the life of those who rob them.”

I’m paying attention to that! Wait, you say, I’ve never robbed anyone. Maybe not, but be sure to see the timeless truth God is teaching there. Robbing the poor because they can’t do anything about it is just the same as treating a kid like he’s worthless because he can’t play baseball. It’s the same as making fun of another team because they aren’t any good. It’s the same as having an arrogant attitude because of your knowledge (vs. the person who “doesn’t know the game”).

And guess who is on the other side? It’s not just that kid, that team, or those people. It’s God. Good luck defending your actions against Him. The point here isn’t that God will kill you for treating a kid poorly, but that you are accountable for it.

So, coach, consider what judgment day will be like, the actions you’ll answer for. Then, fall on the grace of Jesus for forgiveness. Depend on the Holy Spirit for renewal and a different mindset. Becoming different is both possible and available, but only through new life in Jesus. Pleasing God through your coaching is not out of your reach, but it only happens by faith and trust in Him.

What’s the best example you’ve seen of a coach whose approached changed from “robbing the poor because they are poor” to a style that was pleasing to God? Leave a comment on the blog, Twitter, or Facebook. I’d love to hear from you.