SPORT AND LIFE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 August 1940, Page 9

SPORT AND LIFE

REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCCESS OBEDIENCE TO THE RULES. UNDERSTANDING OF GOD. Preaching at Knox Church on Sunday morning on the occasion of the four secondary school Rugby teams visiting Masterton to take part in the quadrangular tourney, the Rev John Davie said: “I am glad to welcome the football teams this morning, and to have you join with us in our worship of God. After years of taking part in almost every kind of sport I am convinced that the person who honours and obeys God gets more out. of himself and gives a better contribution to his team than the man who disregards God and his laws. It is imperative that we give God the rightful place in outlives, not only on Sundays and in public worship. He should be central in all our thought and life. When God is set aside it is usually because He is not understood. When God made the world and put man in it for his home, He gave him the very best place and provided the best conditions an all-mighty, all-wise and all-loving God could give. His intuition was, and is, that every man, woman and child should have the maximum amount of happiness. To obtain this, He demanded obedience to the rules of the game, rules which He Himself drew up. That seems to me to be absolutely fair. If we were wise we would do all in our power to co-oper-ate in trying to fulfil the purpose He had for us.

“I am concerned that you young people should get a good start in your understanding of God. He is not a hard taskmaster but is a strict umpire, enforcing the rules of the game. That is the only way He can be absolutely fair to everybody, and the sooner we adjust ourselves to that view the better it will be for ourselves, our fellows, and indeed the . whole world. The game has got to be played according to the rules by nations as well as individuals, otherwise the whistle blows' and the penalty given against the offender. It is because organised games, football and cricket especially, are effective for teaching us the discipline of the game that they are valued so highly by all well-informed educationalists. Let me show you how closely the discipline of the games is allied to the discipline of life, and how the one is an effective medium of help to the .other. Here are some of the requirements for both the game of football and the game of life.

“One: Put your whole heart into the struggle. If you wish to get the most out of life or any game, you must not only have an inclination for it; you must be whole-hearted about it. What you put into it determines what you get out of it. There is no hope of success in nor of enjoyment of the game unless, you put your hearts into it. Like all worth while things to obtain the goal a lot of hard work must be put into it and many hard knocks taken. Some have not tfie physical robustness which would enable them to take part in it, but for those who have, and put their whole weight into it, there is a real thrill.

“Two: Be learners from the beginning of your career, right up to the very end of it. The know-all, is not only very objectionable to live with, but he is disqualified from good team work which is as necessary in the game of life as on the football field. Each piece of knowledge gained should be a foundation upon which to build further knowledge and further efficiency, and a preparation for further co-opera-tion. The other fellow has often a worth-while idea; face life with an inquiring, open mind, and a willingness to give new suggestions a try-out; prove for yourself what others have proved good. “Three: Be prepared to take the knocks of the game. No struggle for supremacy whether it be against a contending team or the forces that threaten to swamp a man’s good character, good name or good intentions. no struggle for. supremacy is ever completed without hard knocks. Use them to the best advantage, turn them against the enemy when opportunity affords. There is no room in a really live world for the people who whine and grizzle, but you find everybody cheers the chap who takes wTiat’s coming to him, and comes through with a smile. It is all in the attitude of the mind. It is no use losing your temper: that distorts your perspective and uses up the energy that should be put into the struggle. It is no use being discouraged; that only loses ground for yourself and your team. It may even lose the game for you and 'them. Take what is corning to you and come up out of the scrimmage with a smile.

“Four: Plaj the game for the game’s sake. There are too many pothunters and gallery guys in every walk in life. I do not mean that there should be no struggle to excel and thus shine. There is too little of the spirit that strives after perfection and excellence nowadays. There is too great a tendency for quantity and quality of work to be reduced to the level of the slowest and poorest workman. Progress and prosperity do not lie there; they are to be found where every man pulls his weight gives of his best, and seeks all the time to be more profitable to the Great Master Workman.

"Five: Obey the rules of the game. It is because the rules are not observed that we have wars and rumour of wars both on and off the football field. The rules for the game of life are neither numerous nor intricate, nevertheless they are very far-reach-ing. They are: <1) Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and (2). love your neighbour as yourself. One of these days you boys will be standing behind the ball in the middle of the field of life. Up to the day you leave school you have been training for this great match. When you get a job you will have kicked oil, then the game will be played with varying fortunes. Sometimes the forces that are against you might press you hard and even score against you; sometimes you will score a try. Perchance it might be that from some opportune opening you will pot a goal: usually, however, your goals will come because you and your mates have played hard and intelligently, pressing back the foe until you cross his line. Whether you fare well or ill depends upon your condition, your fitness for the struggle. However fit you are, however carefully you have been trained to resist evil, however well you know the rules, you will find the game exhausting; many a time you will find it would be easier to give up than to go on. Have courage when

you arc sorest pressed; most races are won in the last few yards and most games in the last few minutes. Have courage to take out of yourself your last ounce of resistance and to give to the game your last ounce of strength. It is he who perseveres to the end who wins.

“And what a game life is? What a world of trouble we are handing on to you? Where we have failed, however. you will succeed because you will know how to evade our mistakes. Keep your face to the enemy. The goal you seek is just behind his line of attack. Meet his trickery and falsehood wilh intelligent obedience to the rules of the game, and work hard. Leave it to the Great Umpire to penalise your opponent. Play the game and never lose heart. Have courage to persevere to the end. Have courage to go on when all seems lost. Have courage to go down to the forward rushes of the enemy which threaten to overwhelm you; when he has passed over you. it will be you who has possession of the ball. Have courage to try again where failure has been your lot. Have courage amid all life’s uncertainties. Meet the unseen and unknown with a cheer. Life is full of faith and hope and love and success which awaits those who play the game. Play on,'my brave young hearts, play on till the whistle blows.”