The Meaning of Football

Vanity, vanity; all is vanity says the Preacher. Was Solomon a proto-existentialist? That old King James translation, vanity, could just as well be rendered “meaningless.” That sounds like Sartre, the father of existentialism: life has no meaning. But the really worthwhile question is whether life has a purpose. Even Sartre recommended the practice of ‘existential psychoanalysis’ that interprets our actions to uncover the fundamental project that unifies our lives.”

I am in a Bible study that is looking at Ecclesiastes, a man’s book for men I suggested. Last week, on the eve of Super Bowl XLVII, one of the bright lads at the table asked if football had any meaning. He may have been trying to justify our hour of conversation which centered more on the big game than the writings of Solomon, but it did get me thinking. Why do men (mostly) get so wrapped up in physical contests? We all know guys for whom sports seem to be the “fundamental project that unifies [their] lives.” It may not have meaning, but it gives purpose.

To have purpose is to have a reason to get out of bed every morning. Purpose can be noble or ignoble, simple or complex. Many people have no greater purpose than to go to work to earn the money necessary to provide food and shelter. Historically, most women sought nothing more than to raise their children. Male or female, few people examine the real purpose in life. Socrates believed that the unexamined life was not worth living. Thoreau thought that “the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation,” at least partly because they had no purpose.

Those who would label Solomon an existentialist misread him. True, the first chapters of Ecclesiastes highlight the emptiness of life, but Solomon qualifies his observations as existing “under the sun.” Yet even there, he does observe that life can have purpose. Under the sun, that is, here on earth, man can do no better than to “enjoy his work, because that is his lot.” (3:22) But before that the Preacher had said that there is meaning to be found, not under the sun, but in the purposes of the Creator. “[God] has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done.” (3:11) Man’s meaning is found in God’s purpose.

The old Westminster Catechism asks what the chief end of man is; it answers, “To glorify God and enjoy him forever.” To glorify means to provide a positive image, a good opinion. I like to say it means to make God look good. When we fulfill God’s purpose in our life, glory redounds to him – he is justified in His work (not that he needs man’s justification.) We fulfill God’s purpose by learning to relate properly to him and to all that he has created. This alone gives life both purpose and meaning.

I am not sitting in judgment on those who would type NFL (or NHL or MLB or NBA) in the blank that asks for purpose. I would hope no one would say that the meaning of life is found in one of those. It is fitting that there should be a Super Bowl Sunday, as Solomon said there is a season for everything (unless you are a Lions fan.) The purpose of the original 49’ers was to find gold; the namesake of the Ravens said, “Nevermore.” Maybe there is meaning in that match somewhere.