According to the bastion of information known as Wikipedia, “curling is a team sport with similarities to lawn bowling and shuffleboard played on a sheet of carefully prepared ice.” Two teams with four players on each team take turns sliding heavy (about 42 lbs.), polished granite stones down the ice towards a circular target marked on the ice (called the “house”). As the stone makes it way across the 140 to 150 feet ice surface, two sweepers brush the ice to control the speed and trajectory of the stones. The purpose of the game is to complete a delivery of 16 stones (an “end”) with the winning team’s stones closer to the center of the house than the opposing team’s stones. There are 10 ends in a complete match.
A curling team is named according to when a team member throws a stone. The lead is the first, the second is appropriately titled as the “second”, the vice is the third, and the skip is the last to throw a stone. There are three basic shots: a draw puts the stone in the house, a guard protects a stone or creates an obstacle, and a takeout knocks out an opponent’s stone. The sport of curling is featured as part of the Winter Olympics.
Studying Matthew 7, there are a few teachings of Jesus that can be connected to curling. For one, curling requires a precise draw throw towards the house. In order for us to have life, we must walk on the narrow road. There are others (sweepers if you will) that can assist us in staying on this road. We have to watch out for false prophets who try to lead us away from God. They are like the takeout throws. Finally, and I think this is a perfect illustration; the wise man builds his house on the rock. Though stones might try to take us out of the house, a guard, the rock of our salvation, defends us.
No comments:
Post a Comment