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March 15, 2014
Set:
Most of the time when I was involved in sports, I had very few people rooting for me in the stands. Yet, when my family could come to watch me, I was very keenly aware of where they were at in the stands. I remember one particular high school track meet near Cincinnati. My parents were there watching, my brother and sisters were present, and many of my classmates were there, so I wanted to do my very best.
In the Old Testament, we read that King David was involved in bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. As he was doing so, he became caught up in the moment. Before they had taken more than a half dozen steps, David halted the procession to offer a sacrifice to God. He literally rejoiced at every step.
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March 14, 2014
Set:
The fastest kid on my track team was an imposing figure. He was 6 feet tall and weighed 170 lbs. He was absolutely ripped and had thighs like tree trunks. When he ran, he looked like a gazelle. He had all the makings of a top-class sprinter, but there was one thing he lacked: commitment. He missed practices, showed up late for meets and had a hard time finishing workouts. Although he possessed all of the physical tools, he rarely gave his all.
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March 13, 2014
Set:
What’s worse: getting beat by your opponent because they’re better than you or getting beat because of strife within your own team? The worst teams I’ve been part of as an athlete or coach were those with internal problems. Preparing for an opponent is tough enough, but trying to “right the ship” from within is a different animal. In the Old Testament, as Nehemiah and his crew rebuilt the wall, they were oppressed by outside forces. They struggled financially and started to fight, creating dissension. Finally Nehemiah had enough. He put his foot down and held an “all team” meeting. I’m sure he did most of the talking.
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March 12, 2014
Set:
What do we do to quiet our minds and keep perspective about life? Where do we go to relax, reflect, and meditate? How do we stay true to who we are when everybody is praising our teams and us? The Scripture above explains how Jesus accomplished this.
Jesus had a unique quality in His life that most of us miss. He valued solitude over popularity. In quiet reflection, free from the flattering crowds, He maintained clarity of thought about who He was, His values, and His life goals. He knew that it is easy to pander to a crowd of flattering people. He was more concerned with pleasing His Father in heaven.
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March 11, 2014
Set:
Paul uses the phrase “one thing” to bring focus and clarity to his calling. This phrase appears five times in the New International Version of the Bible—once in the verse above in Philippians and four times in the Gospels:
In Luke 10:42, Jesus says to Martha, “only one thing is needed.”
In both Luke 18:22 and Mark 10:21, Jesus tells the rich man that he still lacks “one thing.”
In John 9:25, the blind man who was healed by Christ tells the Pharisees, “One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”
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March 10, 2014
Set:
Competitors love to have goals, and they pursue them with everything they have. Nothing will get in their way! They will give their all—all the time. They will not give up or give in. And they will not give out. They are relentless.
“It’s hard to beat relentless.” – Jay Bilas
Relentless is everywhere these days. There is a Relentless energy drink, Relentless Nike running shoe, Relentless movie, “Relentless” country album, and even a Relentless steak and lobster restaurant.
As we unpack this concept of relentless competitor, there are several good one-word definitions of relentless:
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March 09, 2014
Set:
As a coach and a player it can be a challenge to have the right attitude. Many times we will say of a player, “He needs an attitude adjustment,” or “Her attitude stinks,” or especially, “If he had the right attitude, he could be a great player.”
Sometimes when we are experiencing winning, we can have a prideful or cocky attitude that is not pleasing to God. Sometimes we need to be humbled, and that humbling can be quite painful.
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March 08, 2014
Set:
As I was recruiting this past winter and helping our staff assemble a basketball team for this upcoming season, I was struck by the thought of how a basketball team has distinct similarities to our churches and communities. In order to be successful, our basketball team must be made up of athletes with diverse talents. If we put a team of all post players or point guards on the court, we would have a tough time winning.
And in addition to having a variety of talents, it is also important for the team to be made up of athletes who understand their roles on the floor. It will not do our 5-10 point guard much good to play the post, nor will it serve our team well if our 6-7 post player decides to handle the ball and shoot three-pointers.
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March 07, 2014
Set:
As a result of pride, athletes can easily live for their personal agenda. Pride can make players want to play more often, cause others to fall short of their talent, and lead some to take all the credit for a win. Pride prevents a team from reaching its maximum potential. Jesus laid down His agenda for us; in fact, He laid down His very life. Certainly on a much smaller scale, but true nevertheless, a team will never reach its goals unless its athletes lay down their personal agendas for the sake of the team as a whole.
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March 06, 2014
Set:
My son’s “fifteen and under” AAU basketball team scrimmaged a “seventeen and under” team and were losing badly. Although it was painful to watch, I noticed two distinct styles of play that greatly affected the outcome.
Our team’s guards repeatedly dribbled through obvious traps in the opponent’s defense. Our coach switched players, changed the offense, and diagramed simple plays to run, but often the player with the ball tried to dribble into oncoming pressure. Each player had different mechanical problems. One dribbled with his head down and another wouldn’t use both hands. Our coach spent all his time trying to correct mistakes.
