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I’ve been in the Major Leagues for more than 10 years with the Baltimore Orioles. Looking back I can think of specific guys who were crucial to my development and maturity as a person and a baseball player. Now, as a veteran, I feel that it’s my role to share what I’ve learned from my experiences in the same way guys did with me when I was younger.
In this Bible story (Ac 4:1–13), we see courage on display in the lives of Peter and John. These great men were thrown into jail for speaking the truth and performing a miracle. When asked about their ministry, Peter boldly gave the glory to Jesus, not himself, and proclaimed that salvation was found only in Christ. This boldness could only be explained because they had experienced a personal a relationship with their Lord.
As a defensive player in soccer, I often hear the phrase: "When in doubt, kick it out." In soccer, if you mess around with the ball in the back, it can result in a point for the opposing team. And that is bad! So, when a ball comes to those of us on defense and we are unsure whether or not we have time to pass it, we kick it out.
In life, we sometimes have things that we think might be impure, but we are not really sure, so we keep them in our lives. Keeping impure things in our lives, however, separates us from God and hurts our witness.
Running up the score, pressing until the final whistle, up 60, playing starters in the fourth quarter, scoring the tenth touchdown of the game, keeping your number-one goal scorer in to pad his/her stats … When is enough, enough? We see this in everyday sporting events, and it is beginning to creep into the youth sports movement. Ok, let me set the record straight. I am as competitive as the next person and have had my fair share of blowouts both for and against me in my days as a player and a coach, but where does compassion vs. competitiveness need to be addressed?
I have noticed an alarming trend in sports over the last several years. The leaders have disappeared. I see it when watching both high school and college teams. Many of the teams with which I’m familiar seem leaderless, and their coaches are pulling their hair out.
For decades the world of sports has been an incubator for leadership skills, and both players and coaches have used it for training and development. That seemed rather natural for a long time, but no more. No longer do the strongest competitors and most powerful personalities become a team’s leaders. Too often they simply blend into the background and defer leadership to the coaching staff.
Leach, Leavitt, Mangino…Arenas, McGwire, Woods...These are just a few of the last names that have been in the sports pages recently for unbecoming conduct. Coaches who have reportedly lost their control both verbally and physically, and players who have reportedly lost their judgment, integrity and character. All of these men have fallen short of the standards set by their schools and teams and short of the vows by which they agreed they would live and coach.
As athletes, we workout to better ourselves for competition. We hit the weights to gain strength, speed and size. But have you ever had one of those days in which your strength wasn't where you wanted it to be or you just didn't feel strong? If you compete long enough, you’re bound to have those days occasionally.
Have you ever had one of those days in life where you were feeling the same way spiritually? Like you just weren’t strong in your faith at all? In those times, we have to remember that it is not about us, it's about Jesus Christ. He is the One who gives us strength. It says in Psalm 33:16: "A king is not saved by a large army; a warrior will not be delivered by great strength."
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
-Matthew 6:21
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