Let me start this article by giving a big and thoroughly deserved “Thank you” to the United States for co-hosting a wonderful World Cup. You didn’t just co-host the party, you came to it and had fun. Thank you for trying to understand the offside rule. Thanks, too, for tolerating a game of free-flowing action without the punctuation of commercials, player committee meetings, and coaching seminars every couple of minutes. (We did notice the Hydration Breaks, though, and we weren’t impressed.)
So, having been immersed in the world’s most-loved game, may I now introduce its second-most? Actually, this is a bit of a con. It is indeed loved by more people than any other game except soccer, but that is only because it is worshiped by 1.5 billion fanatical Indians. It’s cricket.
Recently the captain of England’s national cricket team became involved in a fight in a nightclub. It produced the expected condemnation of much of the country, and the captain was suspended for one game. But not everyone agreed with the decision to punish England’s skipper. Most notably, a former great player leapt to the defense of boorish behavior by professional sports stars. He said this in an online cricket magazine: “Why have cricketers become role models? They did not ask for it. A young girl or boy picks up a cricket bat because they love the thrill of the contest... They do not sign up to become guardians of community morals. A cricketer's contract is an agreement to perform on the field - not a vow of abstinence, sobriety, and perpetual politeness. When we force them onto a moral pedestal, we set them up for a fall, judging them by standards the general public could never hope to maintain.”
I feel pretty disappointed by this. You see, becoming a sports star – or, indeed, a movie star, rock star, or any other astral body, is a trade-off, and we all know it from childhood. On one side of the deal, the public freely give the star adoration, fame, and very large dollops of cash. But it’s not free. The star is expected to keep his or her side of the bargain - namely, entertain and inspire while acting within the rules and the spirit of their chosen sport, treating the public with respect and gratitude, and setting a good example for the impressionable youngsters who idolize them. Really, how high a bar is it to refrain from getting drunk and starting a barfight?
That former cricketer can complain that it should not be so, but it is. Sports stars ARE role models, whether they want to be or not. It does no use protesting that “I don’t want to be responsible for setting a good example to kids”, they ARE responsible and there’s nothing they can do about it. Live with it. Suck it up, Buttercup.
The clear teaching of scripture is that privilege beings duty. Those God has blessed with wealth are expected to use that wealth wisely. The principle must also apply to talent and fame. It’s not free. It must be used responsibly and for the good of society. So, stars have a God-given obligation to use the opportunities their blessings provide to make this world better - for God’s sake. And not just stars, but ALL of us who have been given ANYTHING by God – money, skill, personality, influence – are called to love God and our neighbors with those resources.