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Last night as I was working through lesson four of the FCA’s “The Starting Line,” the ministry’s resource for new Christians, I was given an analogy that really brought into focus what it means to be properly equipped in both life and sports. For me, that involves hockey.
St. Louis Cardinals All-Star Matt Holliday has learned a lot in his eight years as a major league outfielder, including many valuable lessons about what it means to compete for Christ. Today, we’re concluding our four-part video devotion series based on Holliday’s interview with FCA’s Sharing the Victory magazine.
To access the video, click the link below to watch or download the clip. After you’ve watched the short video, take time to answer the questions below. Finish by reading the related Scripture and asking God to work in your heart as a result of what you’ve learned.
VIDEO LINK:
Christian coaches are called to use their gifts for the glory of God and His kingdom. When we are generous with our talent and work to set an example of faithful stewardship, we allow our team to witness God at work in our lives. As coaches it is important that we make a point of guiding our teams away from the turmoil that comes through envy and selfish ambition.
Loyalty is essential in the world of sports. It is unswerving, unshakeable faithfulness at all times. There should be no denying our loyalty to our team. Today, athletes and coaches change schools, teams, and programs at the drop of a hat. It seems loyalty is a thing of the past—old school. But for the success of a team, loyalty is imperative!
I’m a fan of Coach John Wooden’s book, Pyramid of Success. Throughout my teaching and coaching career, I’ve shared with others how it has influenced my life in many helpful ways. Recently, during an FCA coaches’ Bible study, it occurred to me that the ideas that influenced me could just as easily be called the “pyramid of significance.”
Webster defines success as “an outcome or result; favorable or desired outcome; the attainment of wealth, favor or eminence.” The definition of significance reads, “Something that is conveyed as a meaning often obscurely or indirectly; the quality of being important.”
Our lives are made up of choices. Should I go out for this team? Should I go to practice? Should I play that sport? Should I go to class? From the time the day begins and we decide to get out of bed, everything is a choice. For some of us that choice is easier than for others. Some of our dads make getting out of bed and going to class an easy choice. The thing we often overlook as athletes is that our success is largely our personal choice. No one can make it for us.
I stood at his grave in a beautiful cemetery. His grave was inconspicuous. The marker was very simple, with only his name on it. It was a moving experience for me.
I had first met this man eleven years before his death. For years I had watched and admired him from a distance and never dreamed I would get to meet him. In fact, I actually got to be with him on several occasions over the years. I cannot say I knew him well, but I was as impressed after getting to know him as I was prior to knowing him. He was a man of character, integrity, and humility. He was real. He was down to earth.
Growing up with two older brothers meant I never got anything new. I was always dished secondhand items:clothes, sporting equipment, and toys. My big day came when I was eight years old and my dad bought me a new lacrosse stick. It was a glorious moment. The lacrosse stick glowed from newness. That experience marked me as a young athlete. It passed through my hands first—not second, third, or fourth!
God does not want our secondhand glory. Secondhand glory is taking credit when God should be getting the credit first. It is subtle. As athletes, it is easy to take credit because we are always getting it from teammates, coaches, and fans.
Several years ago when Bobby Dodd was the coach at Georgia Tech, Tech was beating Alabama by five points with only seconds remaining in the game. The coach told the quarterback to fall on the ball, but instead, he dropped back to pass. The pass was intercepted by an Alabama defensive back who was very fast. He got by everyone, but the quarterback chased him down from behind to tackle him. Tech won the game. Afterward, Coach Dodd was asked how the slow quarterback outran the fast defensive back. Coach said, “The defensive back was running for a touchdown, but the quarterback was running for his life.”
This past December I attended a high school basketball game—not an unusual event for the month. But what was unique about this game wasn’t what took place on the court, but what I witnessed on the bench. One of the players who had started in the previous game wasn’t starting this night. As a matter of fact, he only played about a minute in each half. The player was obviously disappointed when he came out of the game after only being in for a minute. He even politely asked the coach, “What did I do?” I could read the coach’s lips as he replied, “You didn’t do anything wrong.” Disappointed, the player took his spot on the bench.
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