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Some people say that difficult times develop character. I believe, however, that hard times reveal the character that’s already inside a person.
In Romans 8:18, the Apostle Paul reminded his friends that in times of suffering we have a strong assurance that better things are on the way.
Everybody knows that WWJD stands for “What Would Jesus Do.” A couple of years ago the saying swept across America like wildfire, becoming so popular that this witnessing tool also became a fashion statement, even to unbelievers. However, most athletes and coaches, men and women, young and old wore it to share their love for Christ. Even though WWJD is not new, the message is still powerful.
The last thing we need is another acronym, but GGTG is a great reminder for athletes and coaches. It should be the reason why we compete. As competitors, it helps us to focus on the main thing. The message is plain—it is not about us, but about Christ. So what does GGTG stand for? It stands for “Give God The Glory.”
In the heat of the day, after a drill or competition, athletes crave water. Suddenly the person in demand is the water boy/girl. Being the water boy is not a well-recognized position, but we sure are thankful for their presence.The water boy, managers, or trainers bring relief and refreshment. The thirst of the athlete is quenched and they are able to continue. Without that water, the player’s performance would be weakened.
We are also spiritually thirsty. I’ve noticed a change in people’s attitude toward God, a lack of moral behavior, and a rise in materialism. A lack of love, bad moral choices, and the absence of parental involvement may be part of the problem; but what I believe we need is the nourishment of God’s Spirit.
The foundation for success in any sport relies primarily on the mastery of fundamentals. Champion athletes spend time perfecting their skills by focusing on fundamentals. At times it may seem trite, but to error fundamentally could produce devastating miscues! It doesn’t matter at what level you compete, ignore the fundamentals and your performance will suffer.
I’ll never forget attending my first professional basketball game. I sat two rows from the top of the stadium in the “nosebleed” section. Before the game, I went courtside to see the players up close. It was an awesome feeling standing there looking up. I could only imagine what it would be like during the game when those seats were full and the fans were cheering.
The word “clouds” in ancient Greek times referred to the highest seats in a stadium. If you had a ticket for one of those seats, the usher might have said, “Your seat is in the clouds today.”
One of my favorite Olympic events is the high jump. It is quite simply a thing of beauty to see the competitors in this event propel their bodies over a bar suspended almost eight feet in the air. It seems so effortless. The goal of each jumper is to jump the highest that they can while obtaining a minimal amount of failures.
As a child, I dealt with the embarrassment of having to wear glasses and braces. And to make matters worse, I had problems with my hearing which required me to wear a hearing aid and affected my speech. You can imagine the name-calling that ensued. I remember one day on the way home from school, I was so frustrated that I took off my hearing aid and threw it into a ditch. Needless to say, my parents weren’t too happy about that.
Two quick ways to ruin a team—create a culture of conceit and envy. Conceit is not confidence and envy kills unity.
Paul gave great instruction on how to live with the peace of God. It’s easy to get caught up in everything going on around us and lose sight of our true purpose on earth, which is to serve God. He has blessed me with the opportunity to play football. It’s my responsibility to give everything I’ve got and use my ability to the fullest while praying for His direction. Anything beyond that is out of my control. If I’ve truly given my best, then I can have peace no matter what happens in a game, during the season, or throughout my career. This is true in every area of our lives. An eternal perspective is important. We are only here for a short time compared to the scope of eternity.
Every competitive athlete is looking for an edge: a way to get faster—shave seconds off his/her time, get stronger, or jump higher. We know our performance depends on it.
In training, athletes often wear a weighted vest as they go through their drills, helping them push beyond their normal limits. The additional stress to their body in a controlled environment prepares them for the intense demands of competition. When the vest comes off, these athletes feel invincible. They are faster, stronger, and more agile. It is like a prisoner has been freed.
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