Created to Play: Thoughts on Play, Sport, and the Christian Life

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Sanders leans on Barth’s discussion of creation in his Dogmatics. Barth’s treatment of Sabbath in light of God’s sovereign work is worth quoting at length due <strong>to</strong> its import for our discussion on play: Outward and inward work will be done with more rather than less seriousness once a man realizes that what he desires and does and achieves thereby, when measured by the work of God which it may attest, cannot be anything but play, i.e., a childlike imitation and reflection of the fatherly action of God which as such is true and proper action. When children play properly, of course, they do so with supreme seriousness and devotion. Even in play, if a man does not really play properly he is a spoil-sport. We are summoned <strong>to</strong> play properly. But we must not imagine that what we desire and are able <strong>to</strong> do is more than play. Human work would certainly not be worse done, but both individually and as a whole it would be done much better, if it were done with the frightful seriousness which is so often bes<strong>to</strong>wed upon it just because fundamentally we do not think that we have <strong>to</strong> take God seriously, and therefore we must take ourselves the more terribly seriously, this usually being the surest way <strong>to</strong> invoke the spirit of idleness and sloth by way of compensation. We may confidently affirm that not by a long chalk can work be done with genuine earnestness in these circumstances—and for this the simple reason that we will not admit that in it, even at best, we cannot be more than children engaged in serious and true play. No type of work is exempt from this rule. It may be seen clearly in the work of the artist, since there it belongs <strong>to</strong> the very heart of the matter. Yet we might just as well be prepared frankly <strong>to</strong> admit its validity in scientific work as well. 26 Barth beautifully attacks any hint of human-centeredness or self-sufficiency. Lack of play, rest, and leisure can be a sign of profound hubris. Similarly, Isaiah rebukes Israel and seeks <strong>to</strong> free them from thinking their efforts were the ultimate source of their protection. “For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say <strong>to</strong> you, "Fear not, I am the one who helps you. Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I am the one who helps you, declares the LORD; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.” (Isa 41:13-14). Jesus’ also seeks <strong>to</strong> quell the pride that leads <strong>to</strong> anxiety about our provision in his Sermon on the Mount. Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather in<strong>to</strong> barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour <strong>to</strong> his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither <strong>to</strong>il nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which <strong>to</strong>day is alive and <strong>to</strong>morrow is thrown in<strong>to</strong> the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added <strong>to</strong> you. (Matt 6:25-33) 12
In a sense, Jesus is saying, how dare you worry? Who do you think you are, the sovereign God? James corrects a heightened view of human planning by comparing it <strong>to</strong> God’s comprehensive sovereignty. Come now, you who say, "Today or <strong>to</strong>morrow we will go in<strong>to</strong> such and such a <strong>to</strong>wn and spend a year there and trade and make a profit"- yet you do not know what <strong>to</strong>morrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought <strong>to</strong> say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So whoever knows the right thing <strong>to</strong> do and fails <strong>to</strong> do it, for him it is sin. (Jas 4:13-17) None of this is intended <strong>to</strong> undercut human effort, attentiveness, passion, diligence, or responsibility. Isaiah, Jesus, James, and Karl Barth for that matter, all worked extremely hard and <strong>to</strong>ok their human decisions and activity very seriously. However, human activity must always be subservient <strong>to</strong> the overarching plan and power of God. While best selling self-help books are telling us that the universe will rearrange itself <strong>to</strong> give you whatever you want if you exercise the power of positive thoughts, God condemns this blasphemous lie and frees us from the impossible role of playing God. Rather, he calls us <strong>to</strong> the freedom and Sabbath rest that lead <strong>to</strong> childlike dependence, trust, and play. Again, Barth’s words are apt: Hopeful <strong>Play</strong> Man has neither <strong>to</strong> repeat, emulate, nor augment this work of God. He has simply <strong>to</strong> attest <strong>to</strong> it. . . [Man] has not been commissioned <strong>to</strong> exercise the initiating and consummating function of God. He can and should leave this wholly <strong>to</strong> God. The demanded rest from all his labour is that he should do his work with diligence but also with the recollection that God is Lord, Master, Provider, Warrior, Vic<strong>to</strong>r, Author and Finisher, and therefore with the relief and relaxation which spring from this recognition. . . Rest is temporary release and liberation from some other activity. This other activity may also be work. In most cases it will be. But it will be work undertaken voluntarily and therefore with particular joy. It will be work which demands very different interests and exertions. To this extent it will be re-creative, refreshing and beneficial, like a secondary play supporting the main one enacted on the decisive stage. Obviously, by way of games of sport, this may easily pass over in<strong>to</strong> play in the stricter sense. 27 How can we ever justify playing when poverty kills millions of children every year and wars rage around the globe? Without sober acknowledgment of sin, play can become a mere distraction or obsession. But the Christian can play with reckless abandon because all is certain for God. Because of God’s sovereign power <strong>to</strong> bring a wonderful conclusion <strong>to</strong> all of the ambiguities and suffering in life, the Christian has hope and can truly play. A clear definitive result in a game is part of their appeal. Our newspapers reveal never ending political, national, international, interpersonal, and religious conflicts. It is no wonder many readers turn first <strong>to</strong> the 13
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Created to Play: Thoughts on Play, Sport, and the Christian Life

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