New Zealand has the highest regard for itself of all the countries in the world - cockier than the US, India and even Australia, says a survey by the New York-based international consulting firm Reputation Institute and researchers AMR, which ranked the reputations of 50 countries and 100 cities in a worldwide public poll.

Not sure if that's a good world ranking to lead, really - much happier to be # 1 in rugby with the Webb Ellis Trophy in our cabinet. One other that is a disturbing one to be at the forefront on is that we rank second in youth (15 - 24 yrs) suicide rates for both male (to Finland) and female (to Japan).

I have been reflecting - as you do - after returning from a sports ministry conference of 550 people from 130 countries on ‘meaning' and ‘perspectives'. The scale of the world hits you in such situations, including talking with a fellow from Swaziland where the population is 1.2m, of whom 300,000 are orphans and a whole generation of parents are missing due to HIV.

Then this weekly email arrived from Stuart Weir in the UK about the suicide of the Wales football manager, in which Stuart writes:

The world of sport in the UK has been shocked this week by the suicide of a football manger at the age of 42. Ironically in the same week the Sports Book of the year was won by "A life too short", the story of the suicide of the German goalkeeper, Robert Enke.

The newspapers have been full of reflections as everyone sought to understand what was happening. One newspaper wrote: "Fame, money, glory and the other superficialities so prized by modern society do not inoculate a person from the deeper more complex and more troubling facets of life".

Nor do "Fame, money, glory and the other superficialities" give meaning to life and significance to a person. Understanding that your worth and significance depends on who you are as a unique person created by God for a relationship with him, frees the individual from the quest to find that significance in owning the most toys or in the rollercoaster of sporting achievement.

It is only as we recognize that the source of our worth is in the fact that God created us in his own image and that Jesus died to redeem us, that we can find a foundation on which to build our lives with the assurance that Jesus can lead us through the ups and downs of life to life everlasting. The Bible says in Genesis 1:27 ‘So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them'.

I hope you may reflect on this - especially as we head in the Christmas season - and ‘find meaning' that is truth and then share it with those around you. If you are someone in sport who is struggling with your doubts and identity and need to talk about this issue then there are sports ministry people available who understand your world and want to help - please don't battle on alone.

ANDREW KERR
Convener - Christian Sports Network NZ

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