Blessed Are the Merciful
Good News Pickleball
Today I'm covering the fifth Beatitude which reads, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy." Matthew 5:7 (NRSVUE) Mercy is intertwined with sin, judgment, and forgiveness. Without sin, there would be no need for mercy. Being merciful is showing forgiveness and compassion towards someone who has wronged us. We're all recipients of God's mercy and that means we should show mercy to those who rightfully deserve punishment. Mercy doesn't mean we deny that a wrong or sin has been committed but it's extended to someone instead of judgment. How Can We Apply This to Pickleball? Every...
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Blessed Are Those Who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness
Good News Pickleball
Today I'm covering the fourth Beatitude which reads, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." Matthew 5:6 (NRSVUE) As Christians, we've been made righteous in the eyes of God because of Jesus' death and resurrection. If we're already righteous, why should we hunger and thirst for it? We all get hungry and thirsty. God designed our bodies so that we need to seek food and water to live. This biological process is a reminder that we cannot sustain our spiritual lives off of one spiritual experience. Being right with God also means that we love our...
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Blessed Are the Meek
Good News Pickleball
Today I'm covering the third Beatitude which reads, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth." -Matthew 5:5 (NRSVUE) Meekness is often misunderstood. Modern definitions don't convey what the Biblical authors were trying to convey. I once heard someone describe it as "power under control" but that's not quite right. as "an attitude or quality of heart whereby a person is willing to accept and submit without resistance to the will and desire of someone else." So meekness is more about your attitude than your actions. How Can We Apply This to Pickleball? If you've played in...
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Blessed Are Those Who Mourn
Good News Pickleball
Today I'm covering the second Beatitude in Matthew 5:4 which reads, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." (NRSVUE) Mourning is something many of us don't do well. There's a misconception among Christians that we should always be happy. Think about this, though: If you don't mourn you'll miss out on the blessing of being comforted. You also rob others of being a blessing when they comfort you. How Can We Apply This to Pickleball? You're going to lose some games. If you're like me, you're going to lose a lot of games. If I'm not playing well, I can really start feeling down...
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Blessed Are the Poor In Spirit
Good News Pickleball
This week I’m talking about Matthew 5:3 which reads, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (NRSV) Poor in spirit can refer to humility or knowing that you’re in need of God’s grace. It can also refer to physical poverty but most people see this phrase as more of an attitude rather than a state of poverty. The “kingdom of Heaven” isn’t a physical kingdom but a spiritual one. Yes, one day Jesus will physically establish His kingdom on earth but that’s not what He was referring to here. That spiritual kingdom is often referred to as an...
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Good News Pickleball
Good News Pickleball
Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the United States. If you haven't started playing yet, you probably know someone who does. As a Christian, I try to be like Jesus in every area of my life. When I'm on a pickleball court that can be a challenge sometimes. In this eight-episode series, I'll share how The Beatitudes in Jesus' sermon on the mount help us stay out of the kitchen and play pickleball in a way that honors Christ without being "that person" who tries turning every point into a sermon. I'll also lob in some pickleball news and tips each episode so you're not stuck on the...
info_outlineThis week I’m talking about Matthew 5:3 which reads, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (NRSV)
Poor in spirit can refer to humility or knowing that you’re in need of God’s grace. It can also refer to physical poverty but most people see this phrase as more of an attitude rather than a state of poverty.
The “kingdom of Heaven” isn’t a physical kingdom but a spiritual one. Yes, one day Jesus will physically establish His kingdom on earth but that’s not what He was referring to here. That spiritual kingdom is often referred to as an “upside-down” kingdom where the meek and merciful put others first.
How can we apply this to pickleball?
When I started playing, I didn’t know anything about the game. I had a lot to learn and I’d actively seek out players who could teach me more about pickleball.
Now that I know more, I have to check my heart sometimes and make sure I don’t approach the game as a “know-it-all”.
There is always more to learn. Even pros have to learn new strategies and techniques to continue playing their best. I need to do the same.
I should also be willing to play a game or two with that newbie. This can be hard for the competitor in me sometimes because having a partner who makes more mistakes than I do can be frustrating. But, I need to put others first sometimes so that I’m not only helping someone learn to play a fun sport but I’m also exhibiting a Christ-like attitude.
News
Pickleball Kingdom is expanding to New Jersey. According to a press release, Pickleball Kingdom is aggressively expanding and “has identified New Jersey as a key growth area. The company previously announced it plans to open 20 Pickleball Kingdom locations in Central New Jersey over the next few years. It is now on a star search to find ambitious people who want to participate in that growth.”
Pickleball Tip
This week’s tip comes from John Cincola and it has to do with dinking.
- Use cross-court dinks for offense in order to create openings for an attack.
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Use dinks to the middle or directly across from you for defense and to neutralize or setup your opponent. Watch his video for a more in-depth explanation.
Closing Remarks
Next week we’ll cover the second Beatitude that deals with mourning and comfort so make sure you’re following the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
If you liked this podcast share it with a friend and don’t forget to stay out of the kitchen!
Music: "Electrodoodle" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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