The Minister writes… from our August 2026 newsletter
“For when the One Great Scorer comes to mark against your name,
He writes – not that you won or lost – but how you played the Game.”
As the final whistle blew on the FIFA World Cup last Sunday evening, there were the inevitable winners and losers. Etched on the Argentine team’s faces was the disappointment of hopes dashed and dreams crushed. Spain of course were celebrating, their fans wildly cheering, all signs of tiredness gone in the joy of victory.
Whilst I can’t claim to be a football aficionado, I had, nevertheless, watched as England clung on against the DR Congo and thereafter I was hooked. I hoped they would have got through to the final but then, having seen them defeated by some very physical tackling from Argentina in the semi-finals (was I watching football or rugby?!), I confess to being smugly pleased when Spain won the cup. As indeed seemed to be the general opinion in our family WhatsApp group.
Yet, as football fever cools, a deeper, more enduring question remains that stretches far beyond the pitch: how did we – how do we – play the game?
The legendary sportswriter Grantland Rice famously wrote that the ‘One Great Scorer’ marks our names, not for the win or the loss, but for the character we show along the way. In our competitive, results-driven society, it is very easy to tie our identity to our performance. We celebrate visible successes, trophies and milestones, whilst treating setbacks as implied failures.
However, the Gospel flips this worldly perspective completely on its head.
Our worth is secure: in the eyes of God our value is not an outcome we have to earn. Through grace, we are already loved and accepted, completely independent of our ‘scoreboard.’
The content of our character: God is deeply invested in the manner of our journey – our integrity, our kindness, our humility and how we treat others when the pressure mounts. For the quality of a person is better demonstrated in adversity than when life is going smoothly.
An eternal perspective: earthly trophies – much like the World Cup itself – are temporary. The victories of faith, love and community are what echo into eternity.
So, whether you are navigating a season of triumph or facing challenges and losses in your personal life, remember that you don’t have to be perfect or have all the answers. God is with you and loves you no matter what. And in my book, that trumps winning the FIFA World Cup trophy every time!
With every blessing,
Sharon