High school Bible, science, and math teacher, Dr. Julian “JR” Cuevas, released his third book on September 30, utilizing the “athletic analogy” theme found in Scripture to present timeless truths for living with wisdom. In The Parable of Sports, Dr. Cuevas reflects on his unique relationship with sports, from a childhood disinterest to engaging in sports at every level “from recreation to vocation to competition.” Through his wide range of experiences in athletics, coupled with his roles as teacher, pastor, mentor, and tutor, Dr. Cuevas presents twenty-seven devotional-style lessons filled with personal stories and biblical wisdom.

As Dr. Cuevas feels more gifted in teaching or speaking, he readily admits that “writing is hard.” Despite navigating the challenges of the editing process and writing for a broader audience, Dr. Cuevas acknowledges that he enjoys how writing brings systematic thinking, clarity, and a crystallization of ideas. For this book, the idea of compiling biblical life lessons from sports began with a conversation in the car with a former high school student, further encouraged by Dr. Cuevas’s friends and colleagues.

Recognizing the significant role of athletics in American culture and the lives of youth, Dr. Cuevas hopes that using a medium as relatable as sports prompts his reader to apply the same principles from the Bible to everyday living. When asked to share favorite lessons from the book, Dr. Cuevas highlights “Learning to Take Risks and Put Your Abilities on the Line” (Chapter 2) and “Learning How to Win When You Are Not at Your Best” (Chapter 6). He notes that the life lessons drawn from these chapters are often best illustrated on the playing field and not in the classroom, affirming the value of students participating in sports. As Dr. Cuevas writes in his introduction, “Sports really serve as a parable for Christian living; there are simply things that you learn from competitive athletics that you can’t really learn in the classroom or your living room.”

Dr. Cuevas looks forward to using this text as a devotional study with his Senior homeroom class next semester. The Parable of Sports is available on Amazon and is part of the Big Truth Little Books series published by With All Wisdom Publications.