Madness
Madness, mayhem, and broken brackets.
Much of the sports world (particularly in the U.S.) is focused on the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, which crowns a national champion for Division I men’s college basketball and makes up a significant portion of what is commonly dubbed “March Madness.” In the first week of the tournament, the field of teams was trimmed from 68 to 16, and next week will determine the “Final Four” teams, which will head to San Antonio, Texas to compete for the national championship.
The NCAA women’s tournament follows a similar format and schedule, and has grown significantly in popularity in recent years. The women’s championship will be played on April 6 in Tampa, Florida, one night before the men’s championship on April 7.
Analysis and eternal perspective: I love March Madness. As a kid, I had paper brackets strewn everywhere and was always making sure every family member—including those who didn’t care about basketball—turned in a prediction. As an adult, I still love the tournament and was even gifted a reusable dry-erase bracket that gets dusted off and used each year.
Of course, there is limited eternal utility in which teams prevail and win national championships. That said, if you are following the tournaments, take note of how these young men and women (and their coaches) respond once they have been eliminated. There is a consistent theme of reflecting less on the outcome (only one team in each tournament will end with a win) and more on the gratitude of spending a season together in pursuit of a common goal.
Let’s make it our prayer as Jesus followers to embrace this mission we are on together—the mission of making disciples. Yes, we currently live in a broken and ultimately temporary place. But we are journeying toward eternity and have the unspeakable privilege of joining together for the purpose of calling others into relationship with Jesus. Let’s together endeavor to revel in that purpose as we’re in it.
“Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls” (1 Pet. 1:8-9).
The following article originally appeared in Thann’s “The Equipped” Weekly Newsletter. For more information on Thann’s weekly email, click here.