Why I Won't Stick To Sports: Andrew Lafferty
A shepherd must take care of his lost sheep
Andrew Lafferty
Why I Won’t Stick to Sports is a first-person series written by Colorado State student-athletes. Athletes nationally are told to “stick to sports”, but as members of the community, they have ideas, motivations and a passion for creating meaningful change in the world. Their talents and knowledge are not limited to fields of play. In their own words, this is why our student-athletes will not stick to sports.
Matthew 18:12
“What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?”
It seems that in this year there are only two choices for everything, especially since it is an election year. Republican or Democrat? Pro-Life or Pro-Choice? Woke or Racist? And you obviously cannot vote for a third party because you would be “throwing away your vote.” Safe to say, bipartisanism is ruling our lives right now, and every decision we make seems to be Do or Die. We are left asking ourselves: which way we will turn? Left or right? Or does not having a stance make me fall on the wrong side? These thoughts crowded my mind over the summer and left me with no real direction.
I grew up in a Roman Catholic household and went to Christian affiliated schools for my entire life. I was a member of FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) in high school, and more recently involved with CGF (College Golf Fellowship), two Christian organizations that offer support to athletes. Amidst all the unrest, I wavered back and forth between sides, constantly hearing bad things about the left and the right and seeing violence thrown around on both sides. So, it shocks me it took so long to have this revelation. Uh, duh. Look towards your faith! As Christians, we are called to live how Jesus lived on Earth. WWJD. What would Jesus do?
One thing I love about the Bible is that it offers countless, timeless metaphors. The first one that came to mind is the Story of the Shepherd and his Lost Sheep. Jesus tells his disciples that if a truly “good” shepherd loses just one of his hundred sheep, he will leave the others and go find that lost sheep. The shepherd still cares for all his sheep, but the lost sheep takes precedence over the other sheep that are doing totally fine. This relates very closely to what is happening in America today, as we have many lost sheep in our society. The cries of many ripped through the nation starting on May 26 and continue through today. I do not have to brief you on this, you probably already know what I am talking about. With that said: WWJD.
As a student-athlete, business major, Christian, avid hiker and ally, it is not just important, but imperative that I use my voice. While I am grateful sports has given me the platform to raise my voice, we are so much more than just athletes. Jesus teaches us as followers to have a voice for those who are unable to speak. It is my responsibility to advocate for those who feel marginalized in our society, and I think 2020 has brought many of those who feel pushed to the side back into the light. We must approach these issues from a stance of love and understanding. Let us hear everyone’s voice, understand everyone’s struggles and walk with them as we uplift and uphold. And for the 99 sheep just chillin’ on that mountain, let us go find that lost sheep.
Andrew Lafferty is a redshirt sophomore on the men’s golf team and a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Council who has earned academic All-Mountain West and Mountain West Scholar-Athlete honors, while also being named an All-American Scholar by the GCAA. He manages the Student Investment Fund (Summit Fund) in the business school.